From the ashes
by LightningWolfHowl
Summary: Years pass and inevitably people change. In the wake of Hawk Moth's defeat, those who survive rebuild themselves as best as they can. Whilst old wounds still remain and some shadows prove difficult to shake off, it's the best of news which threatens their newfound peace. A follow up to Building on Rubble.
1. Those who were left behind

**_Author's note: I couldn't help myself. Here comes the follow-up to Building on Rubble. Thanks again for all reviews, etc._**

**_/_**

"Rock n' roll."

Another strike is added to a mental list and a silent sigh is released as Nathalie realizes that she won't be the one taking the dishes to the chef this evening as she wins the bet.

Jagged Stone is ecstatic. He can be excitable at the best of times but today, these designs seem to have well and truly captivated something within the rock star. He practically dances around, hopping from one foot to the other as he contemplates the designs which are being presented to him by an amused, if somewhat timid young designer. Her cheeks are flushed with the praise. She tries her best to explain matters to the man. Thankfully, his assistant is the one taking the notes, she'll be able to explain things to him when he's calmed down a bit.

He's been like this for the past half hour. It's… Cute in a way. If only to see the reaction of the young woman, who at this point is practically his personal stylist. Despite the recognition that she already benefits from before she's even turned eighteen, she genuinely seems surprised to be receiving such praise. Smiling sweetly and looking away from time to time.

"This is crazy stuff Marinette! Super rock n' roll!"

Nine.

That's the last of the jackets she has to show him. It looks like yet another concert will be performed in an outfit designed by Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It takes a few minutes for the man's attention to drift away from the clothes and their creator and back to the others present in the room. It's time for the more practical aspects of the deal and hopefully future deals. The man comes down from his high so as to pay them some more attention. He relaxes into his chair, leaning backwards. He's one step away from resting his feet on the table, something he's done before.

"So which one of you two is dealing with the paperwork?"

"I am. For today." A pair of green eyes look up from a tablet.

"In training are we Adrien?"

The young man smiles in response to Penny's question. Unlike his mentor, he can't afford to take his eyes off of the screen for too long a period, otherwise he's certain to lose himself in the flow of information and statistics. He's comparatively relaxed, sitting there. By any standards, this is an informal meeting. They're all familiar enough with one another to know the ins and outs of their little unit which serves to run the company.

"You'd better watch out Nat." The rock star playfully declares turning towards the older woman. "Otherwise he'll have your job."

Nathalie shakes her head, bemused. It's probably best that Jagged Stone doesn't quite see the problem with her attempting to manage a titanic company such as Gabriel with only two teenagers for assistance. They might be some of the few people in the city who wouldn't care, for whom no smokescreen is required. Everyone can breathe easily and forget about the roles they are meant to play. That seems to suit all parties well enough.

The rock star and his agent are gone a short while later. They have other places to be. Jagged is already edging for some new shoes for his upcoming performance in California.

Once they've gone, Adrien hands her the tablet, allowing her to check his work. She's impressed, he's learning quickly. Not surprising, he's a smart lad. She doesn't congratulate him, a little smile is enough. He swells up with pride for a few moments, content that he's able to do something right. Nathalie flicks quickly through the information before turning her attention back towards the pair of teens standing before her.

It's still quite early in the morning but they'd had little choice other than to work around Jagged Stone's schedule. At least, they hadn't had to put up with the man playing guitar before eight in the morning or have to clean up more mess curtsy of his crocodile.

"Have you eaten Nathalie? I brought some croissants."

"No. I haven't." The woman answers Marinette's question honestly.

"She skips breakfast more often than she takes it." Adrien declares, prompting him to receive a cool glare from the woman. "What? You do!"

"Well, do you want some?"

The woman agrees. There aren't many souls who wouldn't want some viennoiseries from the Dupain-Cheng bakery. They sit down for breakfast in the dinning room. The provisions brought by Marinette are bolstered by some of the supplies from the kitchen, namely some orange juice, chocolate milk and for the assistant some coffee. Plagg is not one to go without his Camembert. She reads a newspaper whilst the two teens chat and joke, going over the events of the morning and the many eccentricities of the rock star.

From time to time, Nathalie peers over the top of the paper if they're laughing especially loudly. Not because it bothers her but simply to see what the two of them could find so amusing. Sometimes, it's obvious and even the woman finds herself smiling. Others, it's obviously an inside joke and she doesn't quite understand. Either that or she's just not plugged into whatever is supposed to be amusing. It's happening increasingly as she gets older. These teenagers can be such strange creatures at times.

"Man, do you need my help at the office today?" Adrien asks her eventually.

"Where are you going?" Nathalie questions still not looking up from her paper.

"Huh?"

"You only ever ask me that if you're planning a get together." The woman eyes him and he doesn't deny it. "So where are you going?"

"Just to the park, we were going to meet Alya and Nino, this afternoon."

"Think you could take Macaroon with you?"

As if on cue, the fawn colored mutt who had up until that point being sitting down in the corner jumps up. It's droopy ears prick up right and eyes had been unblinking whilst the humans ate their food. He's quick to come over. It lets out a whine, aware that it's being talked about. Adrien pets the dog. He hears Nathalie tutting once disapprovingly, more out of exasperation than anything else. She's told him before about encouraging the animal to come up to the dining table and then worse actually touching it when he's about to eat. Unfortunately, it would seem that a big pair of dark brown eyes have more sway over the teen than his guardian's words.

"Shouldn't be a problem."

"Then of course you can go. It's just paperwork today at any rate."

He thanks her. They spend a little while chatting. Nathalie contents herself with listening for the most part. She doesn't have anything to add but finds pleasure in contemplating the warm smiles and gentle laughs of the youths.

Adrien eventually excuses himself, he takes the dirty dishes away to the kitchen where they will be cleaned up. Marinette and Nathalie watch as he leaves. He'll be gone for a minute or so. It's all that the two of them need. Still, the teen eyes the door cautiously so as to ensure that her boyfriend isn't about to return and is safely out of earshot. Tikki goes to ensure that he has left, she heads over to the door, giving a little nod.

"Any news from Gabriel?"

"Only that he wants the neckline of the spring dresses taken up by one and a half centimeters." Nathalie shakes her head.

"Seriously?!"

It's been three years but some things, it's clear Marinette will never be able to comprehend about the relationship between father and son. Whilst she hadn't exactly imagined that they would ever be that close, the fact that the two of them haven't exchanged a word in three years still shocks her. It doesn't need to be anything deep or meaningful but just a few sentences to let the other know that they still think about them. She knows that despite what he might claim and how hard Adrien might try to banish all thought of his parent from his mind, he does think about the man.

It would seem however that even a simple best wishes is too much for Gabriel to manage. Nathalie doesn't seem surprised. Whilst she'd typed up an email to the man, she had never held out much hope. The woman's terribly cynical at times:

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know!" The teen exclaims, exasperation with the whole thing evident. "It's Adrien's eighteenth birthday."

"Well they didn't exactly part on good terms." Nathalie is far more resigned to the reality. "Adrien doesn't just get his stubbornness from his mother you know."

"I guess it's not like he complains about never hearing from him."

The former assistant doesn't answer. In the three years since Gabriel officially moved to China and somewhat less officially was effectively exiled from the French capital by the miraculous holders, she's more or less taken over everything. From running the company finances, new releases, press conferences and raising the man's son. Although it's clear that she's tired and that the workload is a lot even by her standards, she doesn't even complain about things. The woman is a plough horse when it comes to this sort of thing. She'll keep on going regardless and still somehow finds time to write to her former employer to see if she can convince him to speak, just briefly to his son for the lad's eighteenth.

At least they tried. It won't be mentioned to Adrien least it upset him. Unlikely however, the teen scarcely ever mentions his absent parent these days.

He's back a moment later and they go about things naturally. Marinette goes home for lunch but promises to be back in the afternoon.

As the time draws near, the dog is already going nuts realizing that it's about to be taken for a walk. Adrien has a little backpack full of all the supplies he'll need to look after the animal, plus some cheese in case his kwami needs a snack. They bid the woman goodbye but don't specify a time that they'll be back.

As always, the first five minutes are as always hectic. Adrien struggles to avoid getting pulled clean off of his feet by his over-enthusiastic canine. Some more discipline is no doubt required on that front. Marinette laughs, listening to her boyfriend's protests and pleas as he tries to bring the dog back under some form of control. He registers as little more than a minor nuisance and is dragged along until eventually some of the pooch's excitement has dissipated. She's tried to walk the creature herself and to this day wonders just how her arm hadn't been torn clean off. Patience however means that they can walk side-by-side after a while.

It's a nice, if slightly cool early February day. The leaves are still absent from the trees and there's some leftover puddles in the drains and on the sidewalk from the rain which has been falling on the city throughout much of winter.

They meet Alya and Nino at the park. They're met with warm smiles and complaints about the chilly weather. Everyone is fed-up with the winter. They've sat through Christmas, New Year and now they are longing for the warmth and dryness of spring. So, they walk together as opposed to staying sat down. They still see each other regularly. Life choices have lead to them being in different schools and classes however. Alya, Marinette and Nino have opted for literary BACs whilst Adrien finds himself alone attempting an S. The same tension and challenges, different subjects.

"_BAC blanc_'s in two weeks." Alya declares, as if they weren't all acutely aware of that fact.

"I know..." Marinette fidgets nervously just thinking about it. "I'm going to have to hit the books hard."

"You and me both." Adrien shakes his head, just thinking about it. "Third degree polynomials are a real nightmare!"

The baccalaureate or Bac is on the distant horizon. The practice exam known as the Bac blanc is coming up however. It will be a good insight into how they'll fare on the real day. It's nerve racking stuff and naturally all anyone in their age range can talk about at the moment. As a result, they try not to focus on it too much.

Instead they focus on the future. They'll be heading off to university and other future studies. Thankfully, all three of them have more or less planned things out. They've prepared their applications and know where they're going to be heading as long as everything works out for them. They talk about some of their friends, where they are now and where they're hoping to be. It's sad to think of their _collège_ friends being separated but there's some sort of a notion that they might be able to organize some sort of a reunion eventually.

"How's Dylan?" Nino asks tentatively after a while.

"Oh… He's fine. He's finishing his training to become a mechanic."

Marinette's lie comes naturally to her. Adrien knows that she hates it. He's the one who indirectly put her in this position and as such, feels more than a passing amount of guilt. One day, maybe they'll be able to come clean but he doubts it. There's a portion of both of their lives which they're always going to have to conceal from the rest of the world.

The group stop off for a drink and the chance to warm up a bit. Adrien makes the most of his fame. Places which are typically dog-free look the other way when he brings Macaroon with him, in exchange for a photo with the young man on their premises. They can easily spend a whole day relaxing in one another's company. The group eventually heads for Marinette's, music and video games provide a pleasant distraction from the stresses of their school and private lives. As always, her parents are welcoming providing the teens with dinner.

It's quite late when Adrien makes it home. It's not uncommon for him to spend the whole day out. He's surprised that Nathalie isn't there to greet him. Perhaps she's gone to bed. The teen picks up a towel left by the entrance and uses to ensure that the dog is both dry and mud free. He locks the door, moving through the building quietly. Initially, the teen assumes that the woman must have gone to bed. It's only as he makes his way towards the stairs that he spots the light coming from underneath the door leading to the study.

He approaches cautiously. Sometimes, some late night (or early morning) phone calls are necessary in order to communicate with the company members working abroad. All is quiet however as he approaches the door. A quick peer inside confirms what he'd assumed.

He finds Nathalie sitting down in the chair that his father once occupied. Her head however rests on the desk. Adrien shakes his head amused by the not all that unfamiliar sight. Work's caught up with her again…

As he makes his way over to her, he spots her glasses on the table. It's hard to tell if she consciously removed them, deciding that she was going to close her eyes for a few moments or if they just slipped off of her nose when she lay down. The fact that she's still clutching her tablet makes him believe it was more likely to be the latter.

He reaches out and places a hand on her shoulder. Nathalie is a light sleeper, it takes little else to wake her up. She blinks a few times, clearly groggy. It takes her a few moments before she can gather her thoughts enough to look up to see him. Given how bad her vision is, Adrien assumes that he must be something of a blur to her. By the way that she's squinting, he's not entirely convinced that she's awake enough to realize that her spectacles aren't there any more.

Instead, he hands them back to her. She mouths a "thank you" and slips them on. Even now, she refuses to let go of the tablet. It takes the woman a few moments to pull herself together before she's awake enough to face him. She raises a dubious eyebrow and asks:

"What time do you call this?"

"Time for you to be in bed." Is the amused reply that she receives. Nathalie glances down at the tablet. Her eyes widen, genuinely startled by the late hour.

"Adrien you have class tomorrow!" The reminder is a comparatively stern one.

"I know but I wasn't about to let you spend the night out here again." The teen informs her, adding a gently scolding tone to his voice.

"I was just organizing last semester's spreadsheet, it won't take me much-"

He stops her dead in her tracks, reaching down and taking the device from her. She didn't offer much resistance, a clear indicator that she was exhausted. She looks at him for a moment, blue eyes fixing him to see just how serious about this he is. It's been known for him to joke about such things. A quick glance is all that she requires to be able to tell that he's pretty serious about all of this. He offers her an affectionate look:

"Work's not going any where, _Man_." He turns the tablet off before slipping it under his arm. "I'm going to bed. You should call it a night too."

"I will…" The woman offers him a gentle smile as he begins to drift off and head towards his bedroom. "_Bonne nuit_ Adrien."

"Sleep well." Comes the reply.

It's ten minutes later when all of the lights in the Agreste mansion go out and its occupants find their sleep.


	2. Behind masks

Adrien sits on his bed. He holds in one hand his coursebook whilst with the other, he strokes the large dog's head. Macaroon is next to him keeping him company as always. He's doing his best to remember all of this biology stuff. There's certainly a mountain of it to get into his head. He's pretty darn sure that most of this won't even be of use to him in the future. It's not like he's planning to become a biologist. Unfortunately, he's not able to pick and chose his classes, especially not for the end of year exam.

He's been at this a good few hours and is gradually growing a mixture of fractious and bored. It causes both his attention and eyes to wander round the room. It hasn't changed much. The most notable difference is the presence of numerous photos depicting him with a group of his friends, girlfriend and a couple where Nathalie makes an appearance. In the corner of the room is a dog's bed, complete with water bowl and a chewy toy. He keeps it clean.

The only thing enjoying himself less right now than Adrien is Plagg. The kwami is bored stiff by all of the revising and makes himself into a pest. No doubt he would fly somewhere else if it weren't for Master Fu's stern words about abandoning his partner. So he hovers near the teen's face or peers over his shoulder to see just what page he's on then lets out a frustrated huff if the progress isn't deemed to be sufficient.

"What's the point of spending all your life studying, the time you spend doing that, your life's passing you by!"

"I'm doing this to make sure I get a better life later on!" The teen snaps as a response, growing irritated by his kwami's constant interruptions.

"Okay but does it have to take so long! I mean you were in class all of today!"

Adrien doesn't even bother to respond to that one. He is growing increasingly weary. Perhaps he'll leave his room and go and see just what he can do to get a change of scenery. Perhaps he can help Nathalie with some of the-

His phone goes off. It's Marinette. She knows he's studying and there's only one reason why she would call him. He's quick to answer, startling the usually dopey animal which is still resting its head on his lap.

"Mari?"

"There's a fire in the seventeenth. Looks like they could use some help getting some people out of the tenth floor. You up for it, kitty?"

"Try and stop me." He gets to his feet, readying himself.

"I'll see you there."

Adrien is quick to transform. It's a feeling that he's gotten used to over the past few years. If Paris is no longer plagued by akumas or sentimonsters, there's still the odd emergency where it has need to call upon its heroes. It's never done officially but from time to time, if the situation is especially grave, Ladybug and Cat Noir and on occasion another miraculous user have been known to show up in order to provide some much needed assistance.

Before he can leave, there's somewhere he has to go. Unlike Marinette, his identity isn't something that he needs to keep a secret from his guardian. She's acutely aware just who lies behind the mask and worries for him. As such, Adrien has made it a policy to always notify her before he leaves, so that the first thing she knows about it isn't when she reads the news bulletin. As always, he finds her in the study, still busy working. Her gaze turns to meet him, her face is impossible to read:

"There's a fire. They could use with a hand."

"I know. It's on the news..." She averts her gaze for a moment, turning back to the screen with life broadcast. "Be careful."

He gives her a brief nod in response. He can't afford to waste any more time than he already has. Fire is as dangerous as it is unpredictable.

As Cat Noir darts over the rooftops, he can already see the smoke rising. It's dark and billows out into the wind. He can already tell that it's a bad one. His heart is in his mouth as they race to get there. He doesn't know what to expect. If it's simply a matter of extinguishing the flames then he will be of little assistance. If there are still some people trapped inside however then then every second will count.

Ladybug is already on the scene when he gets there. It comes as a relief. The flames are high and have already consumed a few of the lower floors. From one of the higher ones however, Adrien finds himself fixing at least two people, evidently trapped. Even at this distance, the heat is uncomfortable. He sees her discussing matters with the fire chief. He joins her silently, intent on discovering everything that he can. It would seem much of it's already been said as the other hero turns to face him:

"There's a family still stuck on the eight floor."

That's a task which Cat Noir and Ladybug can definitely try and help with. They're not fireproof but the miraculouses do provide them with that little bit more resistance. The two heroes are quick to use their yoyo and staff to climb to the window where they can see those still trapped. As soon as they're there however, they find themselves confronted with something they hadn't been expecting. Rather than approach as the teens had been expecting them to, the man and woman inside chose to back away instead. One of them pointing towards the door.

The heroes exchange a look and slip inside through the window.

The trapped couple don't even wait to explain just what's going on. They instead dart outside of their apartment and into the corridor. Ladybug follows, asking what's going on and informing them that they need to get out of here. As if the smoke which stings at their eyes and makes breathing difficult isn't enough of a clue that this is neither the time nor place for a leisurely sight see. Beneath his feet, Cat Noir can feel the building bubble and burn, its going to come down soon.

"The elevator is stuck, our sons are in there!"

Instantly, Adrien feels his heart sink. It takes both heroes to manage to pry open the iron doors which stopped working as soon as the power failed. The scene they find themselves faced with is a disheartening one: the elevator is stuck at least three floors further down. That part of the building is already consumed by flames. What's worse is that the iron frame of the comparatively small space is creaking from the strain, it seems unlikely that it will last much longer.

Ladybug is quick to weigh up the options. There's two boys apparently. She tasks her partner with getting the parents out, at this point, they are a liability more than anything else. That suits him well enough. Whilst he's scared for his girlfriend, he has faith in her. He'll occupy himself with saving this couple of lives and trust her to deal with the others.

It's easy enough for him to rescue the couple, as reluctant as they are to be lead away from the building whilst their boys are still in there. He uses his staff, extending it's height so as to be able to drop them both off, one after the other. He slips his arm around their shoulders, holds them tight and then it's just a simple matter of collapsing his weapon slowly so as to lower them down gently. He lets the fire brigade take over when it comes to ensuring that they're alright. They'll have some smoke inhalation to deal with no doubt but that should be the worst of it.

Cat Noir can't afford to spend the time required to check. Instead, he is quick to return to the burning building. Ladybug should have been out by now and he's worried. The heat is getting worse and he can scarcely breathe as he staggers through the flat and back out into the hallway. Coughing, he struggles to make his way along. He finds Marinette on her knees, a young boy, clearly unconscious, rests on her lap. The young woman is wheezing, struggling to both get enough air and to clear out the smoke which fills her lungs. She looks up to see him.

"Get him out! I'll ge-" More coughs cause her to stop.

"You go! I'll get the other one!"

She's breathed in enough smoke already. It's clear that she's struggling. He doesn't want her passing out as well. For all that, she seems to be reluctant. The young woman eyes the elevator shaft uneasily. All the time, she's wheezing, evidently attempting to give off the impression that she's better than she actually is. Cat Noir gives her a look however that lets her know that he's serious about this one. Still, she hesitates.

"Uh… Look, it's kinda cramped." Finally she articulates her concern.

Instantly, Cat Noir understands just what she's referring to. He gives it one last glance. It's a long and narrow chute, they're common in buildings like this, added in after they were built. She knows why he'll be unhappy down there. He himself isn't all that happy at trying to go down there. Now isn't the time for nerves to get the better of him. He tries not to think about the fact too much. He can already see the open hatch, all he needs to do is jump down and climb back out with the kid… They're wasting time.

"I'll be fine." He assures her.

She gets up to her feet and carries the unconscious child away. Cat Noir contemplates the shaft for a moment longer.

His heart begins to thunder as he makes his way down. The walls around him are too close to him. Concentrating, he tries his best to focus on what needs to be done. He's shaking as he makes his way along. Slipping inside of the elevator. The other boy is a bit older than the one that Marinette had managed to get out. Adrien moves forwards slowly. He can feel everything moving around him. The heat is unbearable. He's breathing rapidly and that only serves to make things worse as smoke burns at his lungs and eyes.

He finds himself taken back suddenly to a crumbling building three years ago. It's something that he struggles to shake from his mind. It almost feels like he's back there, buried under the rubble…

"Cat Noir!"

It's Ladybug's voice which pulls him out of it. He doesn't answer. Instead, he rushes forwards, scooping up the remaining child in his arms and climbing out. He can scarcely breathe and it's Marinette who ends up guiding them out of there. He carries the boy over his shoulder.

They make it out and it's a breath of fresh air. Despite their miraculouses, the heroes splutter and gasp. They've done it again. At least that's what the reporters say. They rescued a family. The building is done for but at least there are no casualties. They stay until the doctors assure them that everyone's going to be alright. Then once more, Ladybug and Cat Noir vanish, jumping over the rooftops until they're out of sight. The inhabitants of the city will continue to wonder just who they are, where they came from and where they are going. It's been that way for almost five years now.

The two teens continue until they're certain that they're out of sight before stopping to catch their breaths on a rooftop. Marinette is still coughing a little but slowly seems to be recovering. She turns toward her companion, eager to ensure that he too is alright:

"Oh Kitty, you're shaking."

"Just the adrenaline." A lie and not a very good one, so he doesn't put much effort into it.

"Uh huh?" Ladybug raises a dubious eyebrow. "Come here."

He doesn't object. There's a lot of benefit from snuggling up to Marinette. She's warm and gentle and never fails to soothe him. She tucks her head under his chin as he slips an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close as they sit down on a rooftop and take in the view of the city that they help protect. With his spare hand, Adrien sends Nathalie a text, just to let her know that he's alright. After that, he's able to concentrate only on his girlfriend and how peaceful he feels with her next to him.

He relaxes gradually. He focuses on little else other than the young woman by his side. Even the slight chill of the air begins to fade away, replaced instead with some affection and accompanying gentle warmth. From time to time, one of them might cough but even that isn't enough to disturb them.

"Do you want to come over at the weekend?" Marinette asks him eventually.

"I'd love to." He replies quite honestly. "I'll have to see if I have time with my revision though..."

"I understand." She sounds accepting more than she is disappointed.

They spend just a little longer up there. It isn't much but it's a chance to escape from the world and put some distance between themselves and what they'd just done. Things aren't the same as they once were. Both teens are somewhat more aware of the fact that they're mortal than they were when they first started. They've been torn apart once and it's something that from time to time weighs heavily on their minds, causing them to cling all the more to the other one.

They'll see one another at school tomorrow. That much is a promise. It's hard to say just when Ladybug and Cat Noir will next be spotted side by side however but it likely won't be all that long.

Paris will call upon its heroes again soon enough…


	3. Something old

The sun's not up by the time that Nathalie's alarm goes off.

The days might be getting longer but it's still dark at 6 am. The woman lets out a yawn and buries her head in the pillow. She both is and isn't a morning person. On one hand, she would love to sleep in for a bit. If given the opportunity, she'd probably be up by ten. On the other, there's work which needs done and she's the one to do it. She has a purpose in life and that's to work. It's something which is practically hardwired into her brain. It's been that way ever since she was a little girl. A contradiction of sorts but one that she's accustomed to.

Master Fu will be here in an hour or so.

The guest room, like all of the bedrooms in the mansion benefits from the presence of its own en-suite. It's her first stop. Allowing her to show and ensure that she's ready to greet the day presentably. To all but a few privileged individuals, Nathalie Sancoeur hasn't changed a bit in three years.

She makes her way back into her room and continues with her morning routine by ensuring that everything is neat and tidy. It's after she's finished making her bed that her eyes inevitably fall upon a small old cardboard box. It's been lying there for a while now, waiting for the right moment. She approaches it slowly. She opens up the lid to look inside. Briefly, her fingers run over the item inside, remembering some of its history. Her resolve strengthens. It might as well be today. She takes the box with her, heading towards the dining room.

Coffee. She needs coffee.

It's inconceivable to start the day without it.

This mansion is too big for two people. Well, two human beings, a kwami and a dog. They could house ten times that many, probably more but then Gabriel had always been one for the grandiose. It feels a little cavernous at times and its inhabitants are terribly out of scale with it all. Even after all these years, it still feels… Well, empty. Especially this early in the morning when it's quiet. She actually prefers it when Adrien has some of his friends round or when Macaroon is barking. At least it doesn't feel quite so much like a mausoleum.

She enters the room expecting to find the room cold and empty. Instead, the heating is on as are the lights. Even the curtains have been drawn and breakfast is ready. The assistant is quick to spot the culprit.

Her charge sits there quietly. He's a bit pale and there's an absent, almost shell-shocked look behind his green eyes which seem to be uncommonly dull. Even as he looked at her, he didn't seem quite as aware as he should have been. He looks up at her painfully. He looks rough. Even Plagg is quiet. He's close to his partner, resting on his hand. In short, the young man is in a sorry state for such an early hour of the morning.

Nathalie's analysis is as rapid as it is confident:

"Nightmares again?"

Adrien says nothing. His head rocks back and forth, slowly but surely, confirming her guess.

The woman squeezes his shoulder. He reaches out and takes her hand for a moment, applying some pressure, silently thanking her. He's quiet and she doesn't try to encourage him to talk about it. He'll speak if he's ready for it. Sometimes he doesn't. Over the course of the past few years, she's learned to deal with these… Incidents. They both have. She's seen him better and she's seen him worse.

Bare feet and pyjamas are another sign that he's not enjoyed the best night's sleep. Company has taken precedence over making himself presentable. Breakfast is quiet. She encourages him to eat and eventually, he does manage to down the pastries. It's baby-steps. When he's slow to recover, her concern grows:

"Do you want me to call the school? Tell them you're sick?"

"No." He speaks softly, offering her a watery smile. "I'll be okay."

Patience is key. She sits next to him and after some effort, manages to get something of a conversation going. They don't talk about anything serious. Just little things: Jagged Stone's new record, Marinette, she even puts up with him chatting about Macaroon's latest antics for a while. Plagg joins in. He even manages to earn a few snickers from the teenager. From time to time, he seems to suffer from something of a relapse but slowly but surely, he cheers up dragging himself out of the pit he'd found himself trapped in.

He sits there, slumped slightly with his head hung low and a watery smile on his face. She gets the distinct impression that he's close to tears as he speaks:

"I'm sorry… I'm a pain."

Nathalie lets out a sigh, shaking her head with dismay. There's a lot going on in his mind between the pain of the past, the complications of the present and the uncertainties of the future. She reaches out and gently rubs his back. The teen doesn't tense up. Instead, he turns round to face her, giving her a grateful smile as a response.

"I wouldn't have you any other way."

Adrien is Adrien. Warts, breakages and all.

He cheers up promptly enough. Nathalie hesitates. The little box is still on the table. Adrien will have noticed it. Their routine is such that anything out of the norm is promptly picked up on. He's just too polite and respectful to ask about it, refusing to infringe on her privacy. Emotions might still be high. Perhaps she should wait a while… On the other hand, she's put it off for long enough already. She sounds and feels a little awkward, unsure just how the teen is going to react:

"I have something for you."

He raises an eyebrow, curious as she hands him the box. The cardboard is thin, showing its age but the weight indicates that there's something more substantial inside. With no hints as to just what it is, he opens it. Treating it with the upmost respect and caution. It's comparatively rare for Nathalie to offer him a gift – he's assuming that's what this is. In all honesty, he's already got pretty much anything that he could ever want. She knows that. Only adding to the mystery.

He finds himself faced with a wristwatch. It's an older piece and has most certainly been used before. The leather strap is worn a little and there are a few small scratches around the brass. Plagg, nosy as ever floats nearby, tilting his head to the side as he contemplates the object. For a moment, he thinks that it must have been one of hers at some point but it's a bit big to be a woman's. She must catch on to his confusion as the woman offers up a moment later:

"It was my grandfather's."

"Nathalie…" The young man mutters quietly as he contemplates it. "I can't accept this. I mean- It's yours…"

"Well, I'm not going to wear it." The woman eyes the old watch for a few moments before her gaze rises to meet his. "Think of it as an early birthday gift."

Adrien turns back to the gift, blinking a few times as he contemplates it. It's a nice watch, not necessarily in fashion but then with such a gift that doesn't really matter. His attention drifts from the present to the woman who gave it to him. He eyes her uncertainly.

Nathalie is not a sentimental type. She doesn't keep anything that's not necessary. This is a man's watch. She wouldn't wear it. Yet, she's kept it. That leads him to believe that it means a great deal to her. He knows that she was close to her grandfather and that the man has been gone for quite some time now. Now, she offers it to him. He's never been given something like this before. His father was never the type or maybe he'd just been too young to be trusted. Whatever the case, he doesn't quite know what to make of it: 

"You're sure?"

"I'd like you to have it."

Slowly, the teen puts the watch on. Nathalie doesn't know if he's ever owned one. Perhaps as a child? At any rate, he didn't have one up until this point. It'll be useful for him during his exams given that they aren't allowed their phones to check the time. He tilts his wrist from side to side, trying to get used to the sensation of having something there. No doubt it will feel odd for a little while. Eventually, he'll become accustomed to it and its presence will scarcely even register any more.

He turns around to see her and gives her a large, wonderful grin. It's as if the scared boy from a few minutes ago has simply vanished. The woman recognizes the way that he's fixing her. She has just enough time to brace herself as he stands up and throws his arms around her. Overwhelmed by emotion, his embrace is a strong one. He doesn't intentionally crush her, she knows that he just hasn't quite got it through his head that he's no longer a fourteen year old who comes up to a little above her shoulder. Nowadays, if he isn't careful, he could probably knock her off her feet.

"And that's another trip to the chiropractor." She gives him a warning, just enough to let him know that her back isn't supposed to bend like this.

"Sorry, Man..." He loosens his grip, stepping back and allowing her to breathe once more. "It's just- Thank you… I won't take it off!"

"You'd better! It's not waterproof!"

He's so insanely happy over something which to some might seem to be relatively trivial. It's impossible for her not to smile.

It's rare for Nathalie to express her emotions so openly. Usually, she keeps them guarded close to her chest for others to only wonder about. There are some exceptions however. A few rare individuals were privileged enough to be allow a glimpse beneath the facade. Adrien was one of them. She'd spent a good few years trying to keep the act up but a while ago had given up entirely. She would never be bubbly but the occasional show of happiness such as a smile or even a little laugh? The woman could allow that.

"You should get ready if you're going to go to school!" She tells him after a few moments.

Adrien darts off with a new dose of life infused back into him. His guardian watches with a tender smile before tending to the dishes which need to be put away.

Despite the distractions and delays, he manages to grab his shower, get shaved, dressed and be ready to leave on time. He walks himself these days. The company still employs the chauffeur but there's no need for such strict security given that Adrien has grown up both in terms of physical size and worldly wisdom. He can handle himself over the short walk and almost inevitably ends up swinging by to pick up Marinette and on occasion Nino and/or Alya as well. She bids him goodbye, requesting that he enjoys himself whilst she is reminded not to work herself into the ground again.

One scenario is far more likely than the other.

Adrien enjoys _lycée_. Although the pace most definitely isn't the same as it was in _collège_. They're expected to do a lot more and then there's all the pressure which comes from the knowledge that next year they'll be in higher education. It's infinitely better than being home-schooled. He gets to see his friends. That's a bonus. He's even had the opportunity to make a few new ones. It's all made easier by the knowledge that he won't get whisked away at the end of the day and brought back to the sterile isolation of his home. He can stay out if he wants (within reason) and go round to his friends' houses.

In short, he's free.

He meets up with Marinette and the others over lunch. Their different classes means that he doesn't see as much of them as he would like. The lunches aren't quite to his liking but he eats them none-the-less, anything to belong.

It's Alya with her eagle eyes who spots his watch the first of all. Her natural curiosity is such that she can't help but both notice that it's new and an odd choice for him given that it's both second-hand and not exactly in keeping with his style:

"What's with the watch?"

"It was a present from Nathalie."

Marinette frowns slightly, obviously wondering why a woman with her salary is doing buying a watch which looks like it just came out of a second-hand store. After a few seconds however, she smiles apparently catching on and says nothing else about it. The others are a bit more perplexed at just why the Agreste family secretary (or whatever role she now played – the public were a little confused by that) would give him such a gift. They shrug. Assuming that it's for use during the upcoming exams.

It's about that time that he gets a message from Nathalie requesting that he comes home when his classes are finished. It's not an emergency but she needs to talk to him about something. That's all he knows. Somewhat tired and drained from his disturbed sleep the night before, the teen doesn't object. Reasoning that it's probably something to do with work, he bids "goodbye" to his friends that day and heads home as requested.

Nathalie doesn't come to the door to greet him as she usually does when he returns from school. Although he does receive the customary over-excited welcome back from Macaroon which threatens to knock him off of his feet. After giving the dog some fuss. The woman still hasn't materialized although she calls to him from the atelier. Curious and perhaps somewhat concerned, the teen enters. Plagg hides inside of his jacket, just in case they have visitors.

It turns out that they do have one: Master Fu.

The old guardian has been visiting them frequently over the course of the past three years. He'd informed them that he would be dropping by this morning. His quest was a simple one: to try and repair the damage done to Emilie Agreste. That meant that he could spend an entire day in the mansion and at other moments, he could go months without seeing her as he worked on something more privately. So the fact that he's still here doesn't surprise Adrien all that much. He's a little more preoccupied by the way that they're looking at him. Their expressions are both serious. The adults look from one to the other, clearly uncertain.

Nerves begin to form in the pit of the teen's stomach. He's anxious and eager for them to just spit whatever the matter is out. He's about to articulate that thought when Nathalie, knowing that like everyone he doesn't appreciate being left hanging:

"Adrien, it's your mother. Master Fu thinks he can bring her back."


	4. Missing

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

The teen just gawks at them. It's been five years since he last spoke to his mother. She's been gone for a very long time. Now, just like that, it seems as if she could be returned to him.

He can't speak and so just stands there. He's spent months, years waiting for these few words to be spoken and now that they have been. He can't quite believe his ears. His brain refuses to cooperate, to process what's being said to him. This is a dream. It has to be. He's close to pinching himself in order to ensure that he'd not imagining it but can't even manage that much.

Very slowly, the teen's eyes drift up to the portrait of the woman in question. At first, she'd been the only thing on his mind. As time passes however, he finds that certain things about her are beginning to fade from his mind. Her voice is an ever distant echo as opposed to a guiding light. That isn't to say that he doesn't miss her. He does so terribly but she's no longer on his mind at every moment of the day. Right now however, he feels the acuteness of her loss once more as if he's just been told once again that she's vanished.

His legs shake and his mouth is dry. A single word is all that he's capable of uttering:

"What?"

Perhaps fearing that the shock might be too much for him, Nathalie coaxes the teen over to a chair and convinces him to sit down. He's still trying to make sense of everything. His head continues to spin. So they give him some time. Both adults also sit down, so as to be on the same level.

He wants to feel excited. To be bouncing off of the walls but right now, he feels numb. Maybe he is in shock.

Those with him give him a few moments of peace to recover. His mother… Back. He'd all but given up hope. True, Master Fu had come and gone periodically but he seldom gave any news of his progress for fear of getting their hopes up. As such, this development had caught him completely off guard. He'd assumed that no news meant that there was no progress. He's not too sure whether he's grateful for the surprise or would have preferred a little longer to brace himself. Eventually, he manages to pull himself together somewhat and asks:

"How?"

Master Fu pulls something out of his pocket and places it down on the table. It's a broach. One which he'd handed back years ago and had prayed to never lay eyes on once more. The peacock miraculous. A jewel which had cost him his mother and almost taken Nathalie. He recoils instinctively. Every cough and gasp he'd witnessed comes back to him. For a moment, he almost feels like he's sitting next to that bed in the grotty old apartment, wondering if the woman who's been caring for him these past few weeks is going to pull through or if that next wheeze is going to be her last.

After a few moments however, he notices something different about it. The jewel is no longer cracked. It's intact. The damage has vanished. Blinking a few times, Adrien still refuses to touch it. He can see the clear difference but his question is: what will this change?

"The miraculous is restored. In theory, it should return what was taken from them."

"Why didn't Gabriel try that?" Adrien is puzzled, he dislikes thinking back to the man but knew that he wasn't entirely stupid. If there was a simpler solution than magical terrorism, he would have used it. "He was convinced that he needed the Ladybug and Cat miraculouses."

"I don't think he knew how." Nathalie informs the teen.

"It's a very complicated procedure almost as difficult as damaging the miraculous in the first place."

There's something behind Master Fu's tone which he can't quite place.

It unsettles him. He turns to Nathalie. She is both there for him and somewhat distant. Again, it's not entirely comforting. No doubt she knows the full details. They'll have talked about all of this before he had come home. Which is in part what worries him. He wants things to be simple. It should all be good news. Feeling a mixture of confused and lost, the teen waits as patiently as he can for further explanations. Perhaps sensing his partner's anxiousness, Plagg settles on his shoulder.

"When can you bring her back?"

"In theory it should take a few days for the miraculous to restore someone as far gone as she is." Master Fu hesitates a moment before adding. "Her actual recovery will likely take far longer."

"Because she's been sleeping so long?" The teen guesses, he gets a nod as confirmation.

Adrien's no doctor but he knows that coma patients who have been sleeping for years such as his mother could take years to recover. Of course, Emilie's coma was hardly a natural one. There was the possibility therefore that she wouldn't respond to being taken out of it the same way as a 'regular' patient would. Even if she was fine physically, it would be a more than a moderate shock for her to awaken five years later. So much had happened. It wasn't the same world, the same family, the same son…

Even with that taken into account, the boy gradually found himself growing increasingly excited about the prospect. His mother… Back. The enthusiasm is still lacking.

"She'll have a lot to get her head around." Nathalie mutters pensively. "It'll take weeks just to come up with a convincing cover story."

"Can you do it?" Adrien looks to her hopefully. "Like you did for Dylan and Delphine?"

"Of course." She speaks softly, reassuringly. "-but you'll have to stay quiet in the meantime."

"There's something else Adrien..." Master Fu seems hesitant, he might even look to Nathalie before being given the go-ahead or maybe the teen imagines it. "Your mother, there must have been a reason why she used the miraculous. Even after it started to make her sick."

The teen frowns. It's a question he's asked himself many a time. He's seen first had what using a broken miraculous can do to a person. Nathalie still feels some of the aftereffects even three years later. The damage done to the person's body is severe. His mother must have realized that it was killing her. Even if she hadn't been able to understand why or how. She should have been capable of associating using the jewel with her sudden illness. It was something he'd never been able to understand…

It takes him a few moments. He thinks over what Master Fu said. Something doesn't quite seem right. It's only after a while that it finally clicks. It wasn't just a statement or even a question. There's mistrust there.

It's all it requires for Adrien to get defensive. It's rare for anyone to criticize Emile Agreste. Probably because the majority of the population assumes that she's dead and therefore refrain from speaking ill of her. Only Gabriel had from time to time made the occasional comment and even that had been rather discrete. Her son instinctively remains unfaltering in his loyalty. Whilst the old man might not have a direct accusation, there's enough there for the teen to read through the lines and it infuriates the teen:

"Mom wasn't like Hawk Moth!"

"Nobody's saying that she was." Nathalie assures him, speaking softly keen to appease his temper.

"We must be cautious Adrien…" Master Fu continues on, calmly. "There's no reason to assume that your mother would use the Miraculous for evil but it's still best not to take any risks."

"Mom would never-"

"Of course not!" The woman steps in shooting the older man a discrete look. "What Master Fu means is that we'll have to take certain precautions to ensure that your mother's safe. It's going to be quite a shock for her. I doubt she ever thought that it would be five years..."

Nathalie has always claimed to know little about the events leading up to Emilie's slumber. Gabriel had only brought her up to date afterwards and inquiring about them had been fruitless: A mistake had been made. That's all he'd ever said. She can offer little insight into just what Emilie thought that she was trying to achieve.

It's something of a good cop/bad cop dynamic which they seem to have going. Master Fu tells him what he doesn't want to hear and Nathalie tries her best to make it easier to bear. In truth, Adrien just wants it over and done with. He'd been hoping (although known that it would be unlikely) that they could just go downstairs to the repository and wake her up. No questions, no planning… When he's cooled down a bit, no doubt he'll realize that it's necessary. They can ill-afford another Hawk Moth… Not after what the last one cost them and the rest of Paris.

"There are other things we need to take into account to..." Nathalie actually sounds regretful as she speaks. "Namely your father."

Over the past three years, Adrien has accepted who his father is. That's not to say that he's happy about what the man's done or that he's even come close to forgiving him but at least he doesn't shudder every time the man is mentioned. Does he hate him? He's not entirely sure. Right now, the teen can't say if he could face his parent without flying off of the handle. He rubs his shoulder slowly. It's something of a reflex whenever the conversation changes to focus on him once more. To Nathalie, it's a clear sign that he's uncomfortable.

Still, the woman continues.

Gabriel will hear about his wife's awakening and nothing will stop him from coming back. Adrien has to be prepared. Decisions will need to be made about whether or not they let him back into their lives. Will they inform Emilie about her husband's actions or attempt to bury them? A thousand questions need to be asked. As more and more are raised and the teen struggles to answer many of them, he finds himself becoming increasingly disheartened. It must show as his guardian pauses, contemplating him in silence before declaring:

"I suppose a lot of this we can figure out whilst she's recovering..."

Adrien nods slowly. He's still struggling to get his head around all of this. It seems somewhat unreal. He can't even begin to imagine life with his mother back in the picture. She had been everything to him. Then, she had vanished and her shadow had loomed over the household. These past three years, he's paid her many a visit. Sometimes, he talks to her. Emilie has left a hole which is impossible to fill. At least that's what he's always thought… So why can't he envision a world where she is back with them?

He sits there for a little while, toying with his ring, mulling over everything that's been said and the implications.

"How long until we can wake her up?"

"In theory, we can begin tonight." Master Fu informs the teen, his expression still grave. "The process will be a slow one. It could easily take over a week before she's well enough to leave stasis."

Another way of saying that they had might as well start now. Every day she spends in her magical sleep is another that she slips further and further away. It would be cruel to keep her waiting because of her son's inability to process what was going on.

His world is changing and it's only just beginning to dawn on him.


	5. Anxious

**_Author's note: Thanks again for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

It's been one week exactly.

Seven days since the Peacock miraculous started working its magic. It gives back what it had taken. It doesn't look like much to the outside world, although by the fourth day, it's clear that the color has returned to her cheeks. The main difference is her vitals. Nathalie has taught Adrien how to monitor them and how to use the equipment hidden underneath the mansion should anything ever happen to her, just as Gabriel had done for her in the past. As such, he's able to watch her heart rate increase, one beat at a time. Her lungs take in more oxygen and her brain functions are back to normal. In short, she's being dragged out of the coma that she had been trapped in for five years.

The progress is remarkable.

Now, they're about ready for the next step.

"She's stable." Nathalie informs the group gathered there. "She doesn't need the machine any longer."

Adrien wants to jump for joy. He really does but there's a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He's close to calling it fear.

He's had a week to think about matters and still they're no clearer. His head is a mess. He's looked at the photos which are so dear to him, watched some of the old home videos his father had kept locked away and listened to those old records of hers. Something has changed. He can't quite put his finger on it but something isn't sitting entirely well with him. He wants to be excited, to be bouncing off of the walls. Somehow, he can't. It's just nerves, Plagg tells him. A lot has happened. As soon as his mother is back with him, things will be better and everything will become a lot clearer.

Marinette stands next to him as they wait for the glass coffin to open. She reaches out and takes his hand in her own. She can sense when something isn't quite right with him and knows just what's needed. He smiles gratefully, unable to express just what her presence here right now means to him. She's like another leg for him to stand on as his own feel increasingly unsure.

It's quite a lengthy process to disable the machines which had been keeping the woman alive for these past five years. So they have a while to sit around, to chat and to think whilst Nathalie does her work. Adrien wants to talk, to express himself but he struggles. Sitting face to face with his girlfriend, his legs crossed. He shifts uncomfortably. She waits patient as always where he is concerned. So for a while, he's content enough just to look at her and to try and forget about everything else that's troubling him. From time to time, he tries to articulate what's eating away at him but it never seems to come out as anything comprehensible or which anyone else could possibly relate to:

"This feels kind of unreal… I've dreamed of it for so long and now it's happening-" His voice trails off for a moment as he struggles to find the right words. "I can't quite imagine it happening."

"You're just nervous _chaton_." She assures him with a confidence he only wishes that he possessed.

He tries his best to relax, to push his doubts to the back of his mind. He focuses on everything that he's missed about his mother: her smile, her laugh, her kindness… Everything that he had longed for for so long and had been denied.

Nathalie calls them over when it's time. Officially, Emilie is keeping herself alive now. There's no more life-support involved. The next challenge is getting her out of that infernal pod. She'll stay down here until she wakes up. Whilst the Agreste mansion doesn't get many, if any visitors, it would be difficult to explain just why Adrien's notionally still missing mother is unconscious in a bed if someone were to stumble upon her by accident. Best she stay down here until she recuperates a bit… They have a bed all set up for her along with the medical supplies required to ensure that she stays alive until she finally awakes.

Adrien's mind is blank as he stands there watching the door open with a _hiss_. His legs are trembling. His heart beats like a drum and there's a feeling at the pit of his stomach which he can't quite place.

"Are you going to be okay?" Plagg asks, hovering next to head.

"Yes..." Adrien answers mindlessly.

A second later and for the first time in five years, Emilie Agreste is out in the open air without life support. There's nothing filtered about the oxygen that she breathes and it's her lungs doing all the work. For all that, she remains peaceful, at least to the outside world. It's as if she continues to sleep, regardless of the change of circumstances.

Adrien's presence is required. They're going to need to move her and he's physically the strongest person there. For all that, he trembles at the prospect. His legs are shaking a little as he stands there. His eyes flick over to Nathalie. She's by his side and says nothing. Her blue gaze rests on him. Does she know that he's struggling? Is it even possible to ask for help at a time like this? It seems unfathomable that anyone can offer any form of assistance or guidance, especially when he himself doesn't understand just what's wrong with him. He should be rushing forwards, eager to do whatever he can.

He closes his eyes. His lungs are filled with oxygen in the hopes that it will give him the courage that he needs to continue.

The teen takes a few tentative and shaky steps forwards. They're not much but each of them carries him closer to his parent. All of a sudden, he can't take his eyes off of her. It's like he's under some sort of spell. He's not thinking, just acting. Whilst his arms are trembling, they're still strong enough to pick her up. For some reason, he'd thought that she would be icy cool. Instead her flesh feels warm and soft, yet another confirmation that she's a living being and not some sort of illusion. She doesn't seem to weigh anything in his arms.

Adrien doesn't have to carry her all that far, only a few feet into a makeshift bed they've set up for her until she awakens. He places her there gently. Nathalie and Marinette both offer their assistance in ensuring that she's tucked in and comfortable. He steps away and lets them tend to her, feeling numb. His eyes rest upon the features of the woman and for the first time in a week, it finally hits him:

His mother is back.

Every fond memory and bad one hit him at once. It's a sharp pain which strikes his heart: both from being reminded just how much he's been longing for this day to come and how he has missed the woman. Every second that she's been taken away from him seems to weigh upon his shoulders. It hurts terribly and yet… Now he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. All of that silent suffering he's been enduring is at an end. She's back with him. He'll be able to hear her voice, to laugh with her once more… Things will go back to as they had been before. With a few differences… She'll have to get used to the fact that her husband's gone (no great loss there) but Nathalie's here now and she makes up for it. They'll have to-

"Adrien?" It's his guardian's soft and caring but none-the-less concerned words which draw his attention. "Do you want to sit down?"

Has he been acting up again?

He turns back to Nathalie, back to familiarity and away from the excitement and longing which had been taking hold of him. He feels himself return to himself for a while, taking a single breath of air. Still, it takes him a moment to be able to respond. He manages to muster enough self-awareness and control to give them a watery smile. It likely fails to conceal some of his internal struggles but then he's not really trying to fool them, just to let them know that they don't need to be all that worried for him:

"I just need a minute."

"A minute alone?" Nathalie questions.

She gets a nod in response.

Sometimes it's best to give Adrien some time alone. Others, he desperately needs company and leaving him alone would be madness. Right now, Nathalie senses that it's more the former. Plagg will stay nearby, providing comfort and if necessary will come and get them if their presence is required once more. They ensure that Emilie is both stable and has everything that she will need before silently slipping away. Leaving the boy with his mother.

They head outside, suddenly needing a breath of fresh air.

It's quiet out there. Marinette sits down. The clouds continue to cover the city, making everything an unpleasant gray. Only Macaroon, oblivious as always seems to have energy. The girl throws a ball half-heartedly for the over-excited mutt. Nathalie is deep in thought, that much is clear as for once, she doesn't have her tablet in her hands. Instead, she's fixing either the building or the sky, the teen can't quite tell. They've both got the same thing on her minds and know it. As such, neither bothers to speak for a while, allowing the other to process things at their own speed.

Finally, it's Marinette who speaks:

"He's not taking it the way I thought he would..."

"How did you think he was going to take it?"

"I don't know." The girl shrugs her shoulders, not indifferent but rather unable to explain herself. "He always had stars in his eyes when he talked about his mom. So I guess I thought he'd be bouncing off of the walls… It's a lot to get through his head though."

Nathalie remains silent. There's another thought which has occurred to Marinette but which she doesn't dare articulate. She's only briefly whispered about it with Tikki on a couple of evenings. She wonders if the woman might be jealous. She's been raising a boy who isn't her son for four years now. Now, his real mother is back in the picture. Does she fear that the boy is going to drift away from her? She's selfless, the girl knows that much. She won't do anything to keep the two apart but surely, she must be at least somewhat worried least this be the beginning of a "goodbye".

Still, she offers no insights into her private thoughts. Forcing Marinette to ask this time:

"What do you think?"

"I think it's going to be a shock for both of them." The woman declares gravely turning away from the sky to look at the teen. "Adrien always idolized his mother, to the extent that he blinded himself from her faults and believe me, like all of us, she had them. He's been out in the world since then. Now, I'm not so sure he won't notice. Emilie will be waking up expecting to find her perfect little thirteen year old boy. Instead, she's going to be faced with the young man and Adrien's..."

"Fragile?"

The woman didn't say anything. As Marinette has come to understand, it can be as good as a confirmation where Nathalie was concerned. She didn't always say what she meant. More often than not, it could be a guessing game as to just what was going on in her mind, even harder to imagine what was happening inside of her heart. At times, she wonders if Adrien, almost certainly the person closest to her, knows.

Marinette doesn't know Emilie. All that she can base herself on is how much Adrien loves her. It's clear that he does. Every time he brings the woman up, he gets stars in his eyes. Up until the past week at least, he's grown a little quiet about the subject. As such, she can't even begin to imagine just what it will be like for the two of them to be reunited. She wants to think that they'll go back to those "golden years" and be the perfect mother and son duo she's always thought they would be. On the other hand, there's no denying that Adrien's changed. He's not the same boy as he was. That will surely come as a shock.

"We'll work it out." Nathalie declares a moment later. "It won't be easy but we'll make it work."

Marinette nods in agreement. Come what may, she'll be there for Adrien… Now it's just a matter of waiting.


	6. Rediscovered

Adrien's nervous. He's no good at concealing it. Marinette tries her best to distract him. She's eager to go for walks, asks for his help with revising some of her studies or has him model some of her new designs. He goes along with it without complaint, anything to try and take his mind off of matters.

She can't be at the mansion 24/7 however and Nathalie has to work…

Emilie should be waking up any time soon. Every hour, she's getting stronger. That's what's driving him insane: the waiting. It's not just that however. As he enters into the office, pale and clearly anxious, Nathalie looks up from her tablet. There's something else on his mind. That much is clear. He dumps himself down, rather unceremoniously in one of the chairs. The teen throws his head back and looks up at the ceiling. He stays a little while like that, evidently trying to make sense of the world which has now been turned on its head.

Finally, he asks:

"Do-" He stops half way through, evidently unsure how to continue. She gives him time. "What if she doesn't recognize me?"

"Recognize you? Mr. Blonde hair and green eyes?" There's a slight teasing tone to Nathalie's voice, a clear sign that she's trying to raise his spirits and clear the air.

"I mean… What if she doesn't like me?"

The woman doesn't immediately respond. He turns to look at her, wondering just what's going through her head at this point in time. He's met with sympathy. Plagg has always assured him that he's worrying about nothing: everything will be fine but he wants to hear it from somebody else. Nathalie always seems to know everything: not just facts and where he left his left sneaker but about what he should do, where he needs to go, how to become the man he desperately wants to be.

She takes a moment, removes her glasses and cleans the lenses. They're probably perfectly fine, it's something of a nervous tick, that she sometimes possesses. Perhaps not nervous more like a signal that she's contemplating a complicated matter. He doesn't rush her. They have plenty of time. He remains anxious however, fiddling with the ring around his finger. He wishes sometimes that she could give him the answer outright as opposed to pondering it. It makes him nervous. He wants things to be simple. Finally, she speaks in a matter-of-fact voice that he's accustomed to hearing from her:

"Adrien she's your mother, she'll love you no matter who you are." The woman leaves a pause before adding on. "You have changed. You're not thirteen any more but you're still… _You_. Your mother will be able to see that."

"You're sure?" Adrien speaks quietly.

"She's your mother."

Those few words are no doubt intended to comfort him. It's such a simple phrase. In his heart, he knows that his mother loved him. Surely, even though it's been five years, she'll remember him. She'll remember all of the good times they shared together. It won't matter that he's not some little boy anymore and that he has these scars. She'll see past all of that. It's what he's been telling himself. Sometimes, he looks in the mirror and he realizes that something has changed. He can't quite put his thumb on it however.

For all that, in the face of the unknown, he finds himself eager to grab a hold of whatever familiarity he can and ensure that he won't lose it: 

"_Man…_ No matter what happens, you're going to be there for me, right?"

Nathalie's expression softens. It's a look she only ever gives him when the two of them are alone (well, alone with Plagg). It's the same way that Delphine used to look at Dylan. A tender and gentle expression, one which seems to speak of infinite patience. She's been here all this time. She stands by him through the best and the worst. In her heart, he knows that she's not about to abandon him. It's a fear however that periodically niggles at the back of his mind. She doesn't say it, merely mouths the word: _Always_.

He smiles softly and with that, he relaxes.

It's a day and a half later when Emilie finally begins to wake up.

There have been little signs here and there. She's registering some of the stimuli around her. When she finally does begin to wake up, they make sure that Adrien's there. Of course, it's not as simple as the woman simply opening her eyes and being back with them. More than once, she comes too and then drifts back off once more. Even with her waking up, it could still be a good few hours, maybe even days before she's in a state to actually hold a sensible conversation with them or even be aware of her surroundings.

Adrien is calmer than any of them could have hoped for. He sits patiently by the woman's bedside. It's a long process for her to recover so he has a school book with him. As the hours drag on and it turns to darkness, Nathalie instructs him to go and fetch a sleeping bag instead of dozing in a corner of the room. He spends the night down there. She drifts back upstairs reluctantly. It's been a painful lesson for the woman to learn but she's not as young as she once was. If she does make the mistake of drifting off in a chair, her back, shoulders and neck inevitably make her know about it in the morning. Plagg will let her know if anything happens. Not that that's a huge comfort…

He's still there when she comes down in the morning. He lies on his stomach, his hair a mess. Her presence isn't enough to wake him. He doesn't always get enough sleep. Checking her watch, Nathalie decides to let him rest some more. She takes what's become her seat down here and leaves the tray of food on a table next to her. She takes a few sips of her coffee and swipes through some of the files on the tablet.

It's then that her ears pick up on a very faint groan. She looks up, her attention focusing on the woman. There can be no mistaking it, that's a grimace. She's waking up. Instantly, work is forgotten about. Nathalie puts down her tablet, checking on the mother. Her eyes are fluttering. It's with a sense of urgency that she heads over to the still slumbering teen.

The woman reaches out and places a hand on Adrien's shoulder, squeezing slightly in the hope that it will be enough to wake him.

He lashes out violently, awoken in a state of panic. It was an instinctive reaction, one of fear. His right fist connects with her jaw sending her crashing backwards to the ground. She lands a little awkwardly. Even after that, he looks around, spooked and clearly unsure about just where he is. Nathalie takes advantage of his confusion to rub her painful jaw and to try and locate the glasses which he's also succeeded in knocking off of her face. She finds them, trying to fight back some of the water which lies just behind her eyes. She ensures that they're gone and not going to fall before risking turning back to check on the teen.

He's looking right at her. Most of the confusion is gone, although he's still breathing rapidly, trying to get over the shock. As soon as they lock eyes, his gaze softens. His attention turned painful:

"D-Did I hurt you?"

"No..." A lie but a relatively harmless one. "It's your mother, she's waking up."

He turns towards the bed and takes note of the woman's state. With every passing state, she seems to be becoming increasingly unsettled, shifting, evidently struggling to pull herself out of the slumber that she's been trapped in. Give it a minute or so and she'll be awake. It's what they've been waiting for. Now, it's mere moments away. She'll need someone to be there for her, to comfort her, to welcome her back. Who better than her son?

Still Adrien lingers. He looks towards her nervously, clearly ashamed and uncertain. The woman offers him a smile, one which maybe doesn't quite conceal her pain. 

"I'm okay…" She assures the boy, sitting down before nodding in the direction of the bed. "Go to her."

The teen nods, getting to his feet and approaching the bed. He rubs the sleep out of his eyes. His mother's groans are becoming louder. She's actively grimacing. It's a battle to recover after what she's been through. Very tentatively, Adrien reaches out and takes his mother's hand in his own. He applies some pressure, hoping that somehow she might be able to sense his presence and that it will help to draw her out of whatever place she's found herself trapped and bring her back to his side.

Nathalie takes the opportunity to access the damage. Sitting there, she's shaking slightly. He'd stunned her with his blow. She knows in her heart that he hadn't intended to hit her, much less hurt her. What he'd intended to do and actually done are two different things of course. She rubs her cheek slowly, accessing the pain. She'll have a bruise this time tomorrow. An accident with the door, the excuse is somewhat cliché but there's only a handful of things which would account for such an injury and she most definitely doesn't want the outside world assuming that her charge is abusing her. It's still a little sore. There's a slightly coppery taste in her mouth. She realizes that she's bitten the inside of her cheek. Yet something else which she tends to whilst Adrien has his back turned.

It's another few minutes before the woman's eyes finally begin to flutter and for the first time in over half a decade, they find themselves faced with her green eyes.

Adrien seems far calmer than Nathalie had thought that he might be. She's not entirely sure if that's a good sign or not. He rests his head against the side of the bed and waits patiently. He seems content to sit there, allowing her to do everything in her own time. She's rather proud of him for that. It's a sign that he's matured. For her own part, she resists the urge to go and get some ice for her jaw, knowing that it will trouble the teen. So she sits down, pretends that she doesn't ache and gets back to work. Plagg rests on his shoulder, providing comfort without the use of words.

All in all, it's the best part of two hours later when Nathalie is certain that Emilie's aware of her surroundings, even just partially. She knows because the woman only has eyes for her son. She's too weak to speak or articulate her thoughts but the tenderness behind her gaze spoke for itself. Adrien himself is quiet. There are some tears behind his eyes but they fail to fall down his cheeks. His lower lip trembles slightly as he offers her a gentle smile.

It's been five years but mother and son are finally reunited.


	7. Returned

The world is a confusing place for Emilie Agreste.

She's been asleep for a while. She knows that much, she can feel it in her bones. Her strength is nowhere to be found. All she can do is lie in her bed and try her best to gather her senses and work out just where she is and how she came to be here. Her mind is strangely blank and if she makes the mistake of trying to cast it back too far, her reward it a headache she won't soon forget.

So she just lies there. It's not like she's got the strength to do much else. Emilie feels like she's a patient in a hospital. Except from this is very clearly not a hospital. She's not entirely sure just where she is but she's sure that hospitals aren't this leafy or full of butterflies. They do have some medical equipment though. Perhaps an alternative treatment style clinic? As time passes, she finds that increasingly unlikely. Dazed and confused as she might be, she hasn't completely lost her wits. No, something else is going on here.

It's not the most comforting of sensations; being here in a strange place, without a clue of how she came to be here, how long it's been and what's happened since then. Worse yet, she's barely even able to remember her own name. At times, she wonders if she's even awake.

The truth is that she drifts in and out of consciousness. At times, she's barely even aware of the fact. Time does pass however and with each tick of the clock, gradually, what was taken from her begins to return. Her mind clears. The pain and weakness in her bones and muscles fades little by little. Everything makes a little bit more sense and she doesn't feel like quite so much of a prisoner anymore. She's not _well_ but neither is she entirely helpless. It's enough for her to begin to try and actively make a little more sense of what's going on and where she is.

One of the first things that she needs to sort out is who she's with, because she's not alone.

Of her two companions, it's the young man who succeeds in capturing most of her attention. He was there when she first woke up. She doesn't know him and at the same time- there's something about those green eyes were are oh so familiar.

"Who are you?" It's the first thing that she asks as soon as she has the strength.

"It's me mom… It's Adrien."

"Adrien?.."

That name is one which she knows should be her world but for a moment it fails to click.

She stares at his features and knows that she knows him. The woman frowns, squinting as if to try and make out some telltale clue as to just who this is. He seems to be hurt or at the least disappointed that she doesn't recognize him. It's clear that she should. There's a form that stirs inside of her, at the very pit of her stomach. She knows that he's special. That he means something to her but what?..

Adrien. Adrien. Adrien. She replays the name in her mind countless times. It's driving her mad. Adrien. Adrien. Adrien...

Adrien…

In a flash, it all makes sense. She knows him. Although for all that, she can't quite react. The features of the young man before her fade away and instead, she's faced with a boy with golden hair, green eyes and the most wonderful smile. Her little boy… She can't quite process just how much he's changed. He's grown so much. Despite her lingering weakness, she's compelled to reach out, to touch him just to make sure that he is there and that this isn't some sort of dream or hallucination.

He allows her to reach out and stroke his face, confirming that he is flesh and blood. The skin on his cheeks isn't as smooth as she remembers, made rough by some stubble which he hasn't had the chance to shave off yet.

"Adrien..." It's all that she has the strength to mutter.

He smiles softly, confirming her guess.

His presence is enough. It gives her courage and a reason to get better, even though for the life of her, she's still not entirely sure what's wrong or what's been wrong. She's getting better with every passing moment. He doesn't leave her side. Staying there loyally no matter what the cost.

There's someone else there, a woman. It's Nathalie. Nathalie? Yes, his father's former assistant. She's here. Emilie can remember her now. The woman seems a little older, more mature than she recalls. How long as it been? A long time for her little Adrien to have grown up so.

She's so tired. She needs some sleep. That much becomes clear. She begs her son, with what little strength she has to think about himself and get some rest himself. He must have been there for quite some time and hasn't left her side since. It's Nathalie who finally manages to convince him to move on and get sleep. Even then, it's only in a sleeping bag by the side of the bed but it's better than nothing.

Emilie falls asleep easily that night. Not knowing where she's been but aware that she's home.


	8. Setting things straight

It's about two days later before Emilie's in any state to hold a conversation or to listen to one for that matter.

It gives Adrien and Nathalie enough time to plan. There are some things which it might be best that Emilie doesn't know about quite yet. It's inevitable that she's going to ask about her husband. In fact, she already has. Their responses have been evasive. Thankfully, she's not been in enough of a state to question them. That will soon change however and whilst they're reluctant to give her the whole story, her son's already made it perfectly clear that he's not about to start lying to her. It's only been a couple of days but his current Guardian already has a headache.

"Master Fu doesn't want us revealing too much about the miraculous Adrien..." She's forced to remind the teen. "Not until he's confident that your mother wasn't abusing the power of the peacock."

"She wasn't!" She's not about to begin an argument about that. "I just… What are we supposed to say? It's not like Gabriel's in China voluntarily..."

"We'll just have to say that he didn't have a choice and that we don't know when he can come back."

It's an excuse and one that she'll almost certainly see through when she's better but for the time being, her son accepts that it's the best any of them can hope for.

The better she gets, the more time that Emilie spends awake and naturally, she seems eager to get to know her son a bit better. It's been so long since she last saw him. It's clear that she's struggling to get her head around the fact that he's no longer a little thirteen year old. He's practically doubled in size since the last time that she saw him and is far closer to a man than he is a child. For the first day, it's quite clear that her memory isn't quite what it should be – either that or she simply can't believe what's happened – as she's asked him at least four times how old he is now.

So on the evening of the second day, when she's not too tired, they decide that it would be a good time to have a little chat. It's started off innocently enough:

"How are you feeling Mom?"

"Better every minute." She replies quite honestly, able to sit up in her bed. "Have you had your dinner?"

"Yes." Adrien chuckles amused by her priorities before becoming somewhat more serious. "Listen mom, we thought it was about time that you were brought up to date..."

He sees the relief pass over her face. Apparently it's something that's been troubling her.

Adrien takes his seat next to his mother. Briefly, he gives Nathalie a nervous glance. She nods, encouraging him on. Even though she keeps a respectful distance, her presence is a welcome and comforting one. It gives him the courage that he finds he lacks sometimes. It's with a deep breath that he steadies himself. It's a wonder where even to begin. There's so much that's happened and yet comparatively little that he's entirely comfortable telling her about. It isn't because he suspects, like some, that she might somehow have been involved with her husband's shady dealings but rather that he's unsure how to break to her that a few years ago their family unit crumbled.

He starts with the basics. The miraculous, she needs to know what happened to her and how they fixed her:

"Mom… Do you remember the miraculouses?" He asks the woman tentatively.

"Only a bit… I remember one… Dooroo? No. Duusuu." She frowns, casting her mind back so far seems to be a strenuous activity. "I got sick, didn't I?"

"Yeah… You did. Why were you using it?"

Nathalie's honestly surprised that the boy managed to work up the courage required to ask the question. She's proud of him for doing so. It takes courage to question someone so close to one's own heart. Whether he's doing it because of his own doubts or simply to silence those who are more vocal with those concerns, she doesn't know and perhaps doesn't care.

_Although if Emilie __was__ involved with anything sinister, it's not as if she'__s going to __confess it __to __her son…_ The woman can't help but think to herself.

She's quiet for a moment, clearly thinking. Her brow creases. She looks down at her lap, her fingers toying with the end of her sheet. She was nervous but seemingly giving it her all. The effort seems to be either painful or distressing. Whatever the case, Adrien is quick to reach out and take the woman's hand. He squeezes slightly, smiling reassuringly as if to forgive her evident failure:

"It's okay mom..."

"I'm sorry…" Her voice is soft, quivering as she turns towards him. "It's all blurry."

If it's a lie. It's a believable one. Nathalie's the same: memory loss. She can scarcely remember the times she she became Mayura at this point. If ever she brings it up, Adrien's keen to inform her that that's probably for the best.

Whatever the case, her son appears to buy it. Adrien starts off: letting her know that it's been five years. Yes, he is eighteen or coming up to it at least. For all that time, she's been sleeping in some sort of magical trance, kept alive only by Gabriel's vast funds which enabled him to create the casket which they freed her from not all that long ago. The miraculous has been repaired and now her body is slowly getting back what was taken from it.

"Gabriel..." She mutters eventually after a few moments. "Where is he? Have I seen him?"

"No." Adrien lets out a heavy sigh. "Gabri- Father is in China. He won't be able to come back for a while."

Emilie frowns, clearly confused and expecting a little bit more by means of an explanation from her son. He fails to provide her with one, looking away and remaining quiet instead. Perhaps honesty would have been best but Adrien doesn't want to dump the fact that her husband had made himself into a magical terrorist in order to bring her back on a woman still recovering. Is it lying? At the very least it's being economical with the truth and is in a gray area which the teen isn't comfortable with but currently, he can't see any alternative.

After a few moments, the woman speaks in a hushed voice:

"He-He promised he'd bring me back."

Not news. Nathalie knows just what Gabriel had told his wife he would do before she'd fallen into her slumber. What she doesn't know is just what lead him to have to take such an oath to begin with. She's not entirely comfortable with not-knowing but can see now that they're unlikely to get any answers. Either the woman genuinely has amnesia or there's a more sinister reason she can't or rather won't tell them, in which case they won't know until it's too late.

For the time being, Nathalie will stay vigilant but won't act.

Adrien consoles his parent. Instead, he tells her about everything that's happened and changed. He's going to school now! Even has a girlfriend… She's brilliant, talented and so kind. He knows that his mother will love her. She's a little surprised but that much doesn't quite seem to register with her son. There's so much that she's missed and he's eager to bring her up to date so that he can share it with her.

"You're all grown up..." There's a hint of sorrow despite the smile when his mother speaks.

"Almost..." The teen clarifies with an almost regretful smile.

"-but if you're father's been away, who's been looking after you?"

"Nathalie." Adrien turns towards the woman, his gaze softens as it falls upon his carer. "She's the one who's been there for me."

At the mention of her name and the open expression of such sentiments, Nathalie feels somewhat awkward. As Emilie's attention drifts over towards her, it seems like the woman is rediscovering her. She feels the heat rise to her cheeks and tries to hide the fact by adjusting her glasses.

Emilie could be jealous. Nathalie can remember that much about the woman. If Gabriel was… Well at times impossibly oblivious. His wife was, in many ways, his complete opposite. She'd been over-protective of Adrien when he was a boy. The family assistant isn't entirely sure just how she will take to abruptly discovering that there's been somebody else in her house, raising her son for these past few years. Without the supervision or input of her husband to boot.

If there is any resentment there, she conceals it well. Instead, the woman offers her a wonderful and gentle smile:

"Well it seems that we both owe Nathalie a great debt."

"It's been a pleasure and an honor." The reply is, if nothing else, honest. "You have a wonderful son."

"I know… And I can't wait to get to know him..."


	9. Making sense

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

A week later, Emilie has been moved back upstairs.

She can at least see out the window and feel the gradually growing warmth of the sun on her skin. It's better than being trapped downstairs in that room. It also makes things more practical for Adrien and Nathalie in terms of carrying food and their day to day lives. She's certainly not complaining.

The woman's condition continues to improve. She can stand now and even walk a little although whenever she decides to, they take the precaution of having someone walk by her side just in case she should slip. She's getting stronger though and soon takes up a seat by the window. She likes to watch the world outside, she claims, even if it does seem somewhat unreal. Adrien has to go to school (that comes as a shock) and whilst Nathalie does what she can to ensure that the woman isn't left idle for too long, they begin to worry that she'll get bored.

It's pretty clear that she doesn't want to be a bother, always assuring them that everything's alright and that they shouldn't go to any trouble. Ultimately, Nathalie chooses to provide her with a tablet of her own, providing her with a way to update herself with some of the changes to the outside world and also distract herself.

At the weekend however, Adrien chooses to take a chance. His mother's been curious about this "girlfriend" that her son seems to have. Marinette Dupain-Cheng means nothing to her. Why would she? She's never met the girl. Although she has heard of the bakery and knows about the macaroons. Slowly but surely, she's putting pieces of her life and past back together. Sometimes, that requires a little something to jog her memory however. Be it the mention of a place or a name. Since most of her time has been spent trying to make sense of the presence, she's requested to be able to discover a little bit more about the present.

So, Marinette came round. She had no complaints and was secretly rather eager to meet the enigmatic Emilie Agreste. Her boyfriend greeted her warmly but with something of an uncertainty which she had initially a little bit of trouble placing.

"What's wrong?" She asks him after a couple of minutes spent somewhat awkwardly.

"It's mom..." His voice trails off for a moment. "I don't like lying to her."

"This again!" Plagg's frustration with his partner lets Marinette know that the issue has been present for a while. "It's not lying. You're just not telling her everything."

Adrien sighs, evidently not entirely convinced. Marinette decides against saying anything. Although Emilie, for the moment at least, has proven herself to be nothing but patient and kind. Master Fu is reluctant to take any chances. That means that the current owners of the jewels must remain anonymous. That includes her own son and his girlfriend. He's not happy with the restrictions and neither is Plagg (who for the first time in three years finds himself compelled to spend parts of the day hiding in what he considers to be his own house). He won't challenge their decision however. She knows that.

All she can offer in guise of an apology is to take his hand silently, letting him know that she's here for him.

He smiles. It's that usual grin that he gives when something is troubling him but he's determined not to let it get in the way of anything and to carry on with his life as if it were nothing. He's a soldier in that respect, always has been as far as the girl can tell. It's just a shame that it's a skill he ever felt that he had to perfect. He leads the way towards the room where Emilie is currently waiting for them.

Naturally, they've notified the woman as to the guest's arrival and what to expect. Adrien trusts Marinette. Whilst she can get flustered – and even that is becoming less frequent as she matures – her heart's in the right place. She'll be polite, respectful and caring, just as she is with him, Nathalie and most of those whom she meets. They pause outside of the door which remains slightly ajar. Emilie's son just wants to ensure that she's still okay and ready to receive a visitor from the outside world for the first time, especially one so close to his heart.

He just pokes his head in. Marinette hangs back. It's only for a second before her boyfriend turns back to look at her and gives her a little nod: it's alright. She can come in. She enters slowly and tentatively, adopting the part of the shy girl. Perhaps she's also a bit nervous, unsure what she's going to discover.

Emilie is sitting in a chair next to the window. Her entire demeanor actually reminds Marinette of the first time that she'd ever lay eyes on "Delphine". Although objectively, this woman does seem to be in better health. She's a little pale and perhaps slightly skinnier than she should be but her green eyes, the ones that her son inherited are bright and aware. There's a gentle smile on her face as she sees the young woman that she's heard so much. Both have been told many a tale of the other by the same source, although this is the first time they've ever even been in the same room together when both were conscious.

"Hello there..." Emilie speaks fist, her voice quiet but gentle. "You must be Marinette."

"Yes ma'm, that's me."

She gets a smile. It's plain to see where Adrien gets his charms from. Whereas Gabriel had always managed to send shivers down the spines of half the people in his presence through his cold and detached demeanor, his wife is the opposite. She seems warm, gentle and sincere. Within a few seconds, through a simple and silent gesture, she managed to somehow magically banish any concerns that she might have otherwise had.

The girl dares to venture in a little further, accompanied by Adrien. He stays near her, as if to enforce the point that the two of them are together or maybe for comfort. Marinette doesn't particularly care. She's curious, eager to get to know this woman who for so many years has appeared to be almost mystical.

"Adrien's told me a lot about you."

"I dread to think." She gives her partner a knowing and somewhat teasing glance.

"Nice things." Emilie assures the girl. "He says that you're a very gifted designer."

"Oh well, uh." Marinette blushes, averting her gaze as she inevitably becomes flustered. "I doodle a bit."

Adrien rolls his eyes and shakes his head. His girlfriend is modest. It's both a virtue and something of a fault as she sells herself short. At not yet eighteen, in theory, she has a lot to boast about. Her designs have already graced catwalks and now feature in the Gabriel advertisements alongside those of the brand's creator and namesake. When she graduates, there's little doubt in anyone's mind that she'll be great. In anyone's mind but her own. Usually, her boyfriend might tease her a little about her timidity but in the current circumstances, he opts to remain silent.

The two settle down, sitting next to one another on the edge of the woman's bed. She watches them carefully, gaze drifting between the two teens.

"I see..." Her response takes a few moments in coming. "Gabriel, Adrien's father, used to say the same when he was young. We used to have to wrestle the designs out of his hands. Have you met him?"

It's been only a handful of sentences but they've already drifted into the uncomfortable territory. Emilie's not to blame. She doesn't know the dealings that her son and his girlfriend have had with the boy's father. The question seems completely legitimate.

Marinette keeps her composure. Thankfully, she'd spent the evening before practicing for eventualities such as this one with Tikki. It's a script. One which she's aware makes Adrien uncomfortable. She hates lying about as much as he does but as a Guardian in training, she accepts that it's necessary perhaps a little more readily. So she gives the woman a little smile and nods, it's not as if she's never met the man before…

"Only briefly, he's a busy man."

"He is that..."

There's sorrow behind Emilie's voice. She'd loved her husband. Her absence is both painful and confusing. It's a piece of their family life that's missing and for reasons which she can't quite comprehend. Why would the man who had promised to do everything within his power to bring her back be so markedly absent now that she had returned? It's difficult to watch but for the time being, the miraculous holders don't want to find themselves faced with their old enemy back on his home turf.

Sooner or later, Adrien knows he'll return. He's far from convinced that he's ready for that.

Emilie perks up a moment later, she's curious, keen to get to know this young woman. It only takes a couple of minutes for the girl to relax. Adrien slips an arm around her shoulders as they sit there and chat. The rest of the discussion is far more light-hearted. She's eager to discover how the two met, how long they've been dating… All harmless. There's something tender and loving about the woman's smile. She manages to get her son to laugh, not necessarily the easiest task in the world these days. The concerns that the girl might have had are one by one dismissed.

It's not too long until she gets a little tired. It's clear that she's still recovering. Adrien is quick to tend to her. She just needs some shut-eye apparently and the woman is relatively quick to dismiss them. She can look after herself.

All the same, Adrien is unwilling to leave his parent for too long. So they step out into the corridor and say "goodbye" there.

Marinette knows her way out. She moves slowly through the mansion. Adrien despises the pictures of his father which still adorn the walls. He'd have them torn down and burned if it weren't for the fact that it would raise questions in the minds of the few visitors they get here. His mother however is an equally inescapable presence. With her image comes both a reminder of how much she means to her son and just what her husband had been willing to do for her. That knowledge troubles the teenage girl as she steps outside, lingering for a moment just outside the main door.

Her peripheral vision glances to her left, confirming that she isn't alone:

"Emilie certainly seems fine… She only mentioned Gabriel the once and even that was in passing."

"Yes. We're going to have to break that to her sooner or later." Comes the woman's reply.

"She doesn't seem dangerous at any rate." Marinette mutters as a reply. "What do you think?"

Nathalie lets out a sigh. This is an uncomfortable position for her to be in and Marinette knows it. She's not too happy with things either. This all feels like they're sneaking around behind his back. Ultimately, both can justify their actions with the simple knowledge that it's for the boy's own good. He loves his mother and has made it very clear that in his mind, she can do no wrong. Keeping an eye on the woman for his sake is the only way to avoid a Hawk Moth 2.0. It still leaves a bitter taste in the back of their mouths.

"Well, if she was part of anything dodgy, she's hiding it very well." Nathalie replies, her attention focused only on the cloudy skies. "I've been tracking her internet history. She's not even tried looking up "Miraculous"… So either she's being very cautious or whatever Emilie was doing it was either harmless or in the past."

It's comforting to think that there's no danger, that Emilie is harmless. Her condition was a result of carelessly messing around with forces that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. Does Nathalie actually believe it? Marinette can't say but for the time being, for Adrien's sake, she will whilst simultaneously avoiding dropping her guard entirely.

The girl nods solemnly a few times, taking a couple of steps away from the door. She pauses briefly, looking over her shoulder towards the woman:

"I'll let Master Fu know that for the time being, there's no danger."

"Thank you Marinette..."

The girl gives a final tip of the head before leaving.

If this is all an act, then Emilie may very well be about to drag them all along for the ride.


	10. Common ground

It's strange the things that bother her and those that don't.

Adrien goes to school now and has been for some time. She's not too sure what to make of that. Emilie had always disliked the notion of her only, precious son being exposed to the harsh reality of the outside world. As calm and kind as he is, it's clear that those outside have had a very definite effect on him. He uses terms and expressions that she's certain none of his tutors would ever have taught him, adopted certain postures of mannerisms which she doesn't entirely approve of. It's too late to do anything about it now though. The damage is done so to speak and she's not stupid enough to try and convince a boy used to the outside world to give that up in order to return to a safer environment.

There are other influences in his life now: his girlfriend Marinette, who appears to be a sweet and kind-hearted sort and who visits regularly often. She hears mention of other names: Nino, Alya, Luka, Kagami… Only Chloe rings any vague bells and she's yet to meet any of them to be able to judge their characters for herself and Adrien is reticent to invite them round given the current situation.

She can make her way through the mansion by herself at this point. Every day, she feels a little stronger, a little bolder. Now, she ventures through the building. It's a strange place. It makes her a little uneasy. She's sure it was warmer in the past… There's a big dog that lives here now. That's one thing she's definitely not too keen on and would much rather than the animal sleeps and lives outside. Adrien however loves the pooch and won't hear of it. Again, she's not about to get into a debate with him about it.

Adrien's at school at any rate. Not that it's a problem at the moment.

He's so different, it's hard to recognize the boy that she once knew. So today, she opts for someone whom at first glance at least, appears to be comparatively unaltered.

Nathalie is still the same old hard-worker that she's always been. Gabriel wouldn't have accepted anything less from someone who was supposed to be his assistant, much less a tutor for his son. Even without the presence of her employer, she seems to dedicate almost the entirety of her her time to the company. Emile's been too busy recovering to be able to take much of an interest in the business but she guesses that things must be going along smoothly enough.

The woman is sitting behind the desk busy dealing with whatever needs her attention, it all seems to be mostly administrative work. She pauses however as soon as she notices that she's no longer alone. Nathalie isn't an easy person to read, she never has been. As such, it's not immediately apparent whether she's happy to see her or not. So, Emilie is the one to adopt a more open and friendly attitude, beginning with a smile. She takes a seat in the chair that Gabriel's assistant once occupied.

"Busy day?" Emilie questions, leaning back as she relaxes a little.

"No more than usual." Nathalie replies her voice level as always.

"Do you have a few minutes?"

"Yes." The woman frowns slightly, searching the newcomer for a motive. "What for?"

"A girly chat."

Nathalie raises her eyebrows. Her surprise is evident. For a moment, Emilie wonders if she might be about to decline. There's something about her that's always given the impression that she's a bit above socializing. She's cold. It was true, when she'd worked for Gabriel, his wife hadn't given her so much as a second look or taken a huge amount of interest in her. She wasn't the kind of character that was easy to relax around. At least that's what the other woman's always felt, she hopes that she's about to proven wrong.

After a few moments, to her surprise, she gets a very small smile:

"It's been a while since I've had one of those Mrs. Agreste."

"Please, call me Emilie." The woman nods in response. "So… You've been promoted then."

"By circumstances only. Technically, I'm still your husband's assistant."

"At least tell me he's given you a raise!" It's not entirely easy to tell if she's joking or not. "I've been watching you, you work your fingers to the bone!"

"I enjoy my work."

It's all pleasantness and light-hearted chatter. Emilie's done a little bit of homework and as far as she can tell, absolutely nothing has changed in terms of her circumstances. She's still Mrs. Nathalie Sancoeur. She's a little more confident. There's that same old steeliness behind the woman's eyes, a determination and seriousness which had got her the job in the first place. She seems somewhat more relaxed however, older and a little more worldly-wise. Perhaps that's why she's easier to talk to than her junior can ever remember her being.

Nathalie isn't an idiot though. She'll know what this is all about. As polite as she is, she must be able to sense the true motivation for this discussion. As such, Emilie doesn't waste too much time dancing around the issue.

"So… Adrien, how's that been?"

"Well… He hit puberty-" Nathalie gives a slightly flippant and amused shrug of the shoulders, leaving the rest of the ups and downs entailed by such a transformation to Emilie's imagination before becoming somewhat more serious once more. "-but honestly Mrs. Agr- Emilie, he's a good kid."

"I can see that..." Her voice trails off for a moment. "You've done a good job raising him."

"I… Didn't raise him." The woman averts her gaze for a moment. "I've only been here the past three years."

Emilie manages to refrain from letting out a pensive "_Hmm_". Nathalie seems a bit uneasy, evasive perhaps. Hence the questioning. The woman is mostly straightforwards. The fact that she seems to be treading carefully is in itself something of a giveaway that there's more to be told.

She could be invasive, go in directly and ask her straight out just what her relationship was with Adrien. It's plain to see that the two are closer than they were before she'd slipped into her sleep. Even her son seems to be a bit awkward. He likes Nathalie. She's been there a lot for him apparently. Unwilling to wade into such a potentially complicated subject carelessly, Emilie adopts a different strategy. She does so by asking a seemingly innocent question, one which would almost certainly have come up anyway:

"What does "_Man_" mean?"

"Man?"

This will be a telling moment. It could be called simply a silly little quirk he'd developed for whatever reason but the way that the woman hesitates rather than dismiss it instantly. She's only heard it a couple of times. It's Adrien who uses it, more specifically when he's chatting to Nathalie. It's not something that he uses when talking about her. Only when she's in the room:

"Did you walk the dog?"

"Yes, _Man_!"

She assumes that it's the English word "man" but then why's he using it to refer to a woman? Her best guess is it's some sort of an inside joke. It doesn't quite make sense given how outwardly serious Nathalie seems to be. Adrien is almost inevitably flustered by it afterwards. It's like it just slips out. That's why she's curious. If nothing else, she honestly can't imagine just why a woman such as her husband's assistant would tolerate the use of anything other than her name. Presumably he doesn't use it in public.

Nathalie frowns only briefly, a crease forming in her brow as she contemplates the other woman. She's clever. Emilie wouldn't be surprised if she's sussed out that this isn't as innocuous a question as it might seem. After a moment though, she smiles getting back into the game of "girly chats":

"I'm assuming that you're referring to it because you've heard Adrien use it." Emilie just gives her a knowing smile, neither of them are fools. "It's a nickname of sorts."

"Wouldn't "Nat" be your nickname or something like it?"

"Not as far as Adrien's concerned." There's a certain tone about her voice which makes Emilie think that she doesn't object that much. "I didn't ask him to keep on calling me it."

"I never said that you did."

Nathalie nods her head, conceding the point. Perhaps the woman is more fun than Emilie had initially given her credit for. There's a sharp intelligence behind her blue eyes. None of this is lost on her.

Through the door comes Adrien's mutt. The dog seems to be a pretty clueless animal. It's not entirely senseless however. It must know that she's not overly fond of canines and so for the most part steers well clear. Thank goodness because even at this distance, she can tell that it's drooling. Which it seems to do about 70% of the time. Instead, the animal drifts over towards Nathalie. It doesn't rush up to her, instead sitting about a foot away fixing her with its dark brown eyes.

The distraction probably only lasts a few moments. After that, she decides to explain her actions:

"I'm sorry if I seem nosy. I'm trying to make up for lost time..."

"Oh. I understand." Does she? "Please, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

It sounds almost like a business deal. Maybe it is.

Emilie's gaze flicks over the woman as she reaches out and pats the dog's head. Nathalie doesn't take her own eyes off of her either. It's not something that makes the blonde woman all that comfortable. She shifts momentarily, her gaze traveling up towards that large portrait of her Gabriel had commissioned. She can't fault the artistry. The subject however… Well now that she's back they might want to think about redecorating. How long has Nathalie been working under the portrait's stare?

She offers the woman a grin.

"I'm sorry. I'm keeping you from working, aren't I?"

"It's not a big deal." She assures her.

"Well… We'll talk later, right Nathalie?"

"I can't see why not."

With a nod, Emilie excuses herself. Drifting off into the mansion to occupy herself elsewhere. Nathalie watches as she leaves, waiting until she's out of the room and the door has been shut before letting out a sigh. She turns towards Macaroon. It must be getting close to his lunch time, as he fixes her expectantly. Whilst she doesn't exactly speak dog, Macaroon has seemed markedly confused (well, more so than usual) since Emilie had come back to them. Like he can't quite figure out where she fits into all of this.

Neither can Nathalie…

Even after all these years, the gaze of the portrait behind her remains unsettling.


	11. Looking forwards

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

Adrien awakes with a start. Breathing rapidly, green eyes dart around the room. Where is he? Is he alone? For an instant, he can swear that there was another figure, standing there at the foot of his bed, clad in purple, the steel of his blade glinting in the moonlight. He says nothing. Just watches in silence.

The teen flicks the nearby switch and light fills the room chasing away the ghost. He sits in his bed, heart thundering, shaking slightly, he tries to focus, to stop his panting and remember just where he is. He runs a hand through his hair which has been dampened somewhat by sweat and brushes it out of his face before rubbing his eyes, struggling to remove the image of the man's face from behind his eyes. His shoulder hurts. He grips at it rubbing the skin in an attempt to alleviate the tense, almost burning sensation which runs through it.

Little by little, panic gives way to recollection.

Nearby, there's a whine as Macaroon awakes from his sleep. Adrien manages a watery smile before tapping the space next to him on his bed, calling the dog over. The animal doesn't need to be told twice, it runs over, colliding roughly with its owner. He smiles softly but doesn't indulge in the regular rough and tumble that he often does. Instead he pats the creature, taking some comfort from its presence. The mutt has something of a calming effect on him that he can't quite explain. His other companion however is far from thrilled:

"You're going to get dog hairs all over the sheets again!"

"I know..."

Plagg floats nearby. He's not too keen on the canine and therefore prefers to keep his distance least he be mistaken for some sort of chew toy.

Whilst the physical effects of the nightmare are shaken off soon enough, those lingering images products of some dark fantasy mixed with his own terrible memories can prove to be stubborn. Whilst there's no denying that he's tired, the teen isn't too sure if he'll manage to close his eyes again tonight. Still running a hand across the dog's back, he glances over towards the table by his bed. His clock reads 3.27 am. Too early to even contemplate rising. He lets out a heavy sigh, burying his head somewhere in his covers.

"What was it this time?" Plagg questions his voice somewhat softer than it usually is.

"Hawk Moth..."

Adrien mutters but doesn't go into any detail. The kwami knows just what a nightmare with Hawk Moth in it implies. He's told his friend before, described it not in detail, there never seems to be much of that but at least the basics. The effects of such a dream on him are all too clear.

Shaken, the teen slips out of his bed. He needs to breathe. He can't do that like this. Plagg and Macaroon follow him as he heads over to his window. There are a few little tricks he's picked up which help him recover. Fresh air is one of them. He opens his window wide and practically leans out of it. The night is still chilly and it sends shivers down his spine but that also serves to remind him of just where he is: he's in his bedroom, he's home. Plagg's here and Nathalie's presumably sleeping in her room a little bit further down the hall unless his screaming had woken her up again. Judging by her absence however, he's going to assume that he was comparatively silent.

The residences are still dark but the streets remain lit. It's a nice sight. He contemplates them for a while, allowing his heart to begin to slow and return to its regular rhythm. Plagg settles on his shoulder, sharing the view.

"Do you want me to go get Nathalie?" The kwami offers, he's done it before but doesn't necessarily ask.

"No. Let her sleep."

He feels guilty and stupid enough about saddling Nathalie with his issues, let alone his mother. No, best she assume that everything's alright. He'll be okay. At least that's what he tells himself. It's the same thing he's been telling himself these past four years.

Taking in a deep breath of the night, he allows himself to slum down with his back to the wall. Macaroon comes over and dumps himself down unceremoniously on his owner's lap. Adrien smiles rubbing the dog's neck and scratching behind his ear. Plagg curls up on his shoulder. He stays there for a while, trying to feel alive again, reminding himself that this is reality. The teen's eyelids are heavy and flutter.

He wakes up on the floor. His back is stiff and his left arm has fallen asleep. The teen groans. It's his alarm that has woken him up. He knows that the ringing signifies that he has no choice but to get up unless he wants to miss his classes. Pulling himself together, he makes his first stop the showers if only to warm up his muscles and get rid of some of the tension in them.

A cleanly shaven and clean Adrien staggers downstairs and into the dining room. He's dressed for class. Nathalie is waiting for him as always. He feeds Macaroon before sitting down to his own breakfast. They exchange their usual pleasantries but the woman seems to be fixing him for a moment. Does she know? Is there some superpower that she possesses which allows her to see past any facade that he might try and put on? It could be that he just looks tired. He covers by chatting, discussing the exams at the end of the week and expressing some concerns.

"You're ready. You'll do fine." Nathalie assures him in her usual matter-of-fact way.

"Of course you will."

He jumps slightly at the sound of another voice coming from the doorway. After three years of having just himself, Nathalie and Plagg around the mansion, the presence of another human being is somewhat difficult to adjust to. His mother offers him a warm smile as Plagg makes quick work of hiding in his jacket pocket. Adrien greets her warmly with a hug and the other woman offers her a coffee. The conversation is lighthearted and about their plans for the day: Adrien has class and there's a meeting at Agreste which Nathalie has to attend.

That leaves Emilie home alone and with nothing to do. A situation which simply can't last.

It's on his way to school that he gets a text from Marinette: _Still OK for tonight? _Of course he is. Things have to change and for that to happen, preparations have to be made.

The meeting place is Master Fu's. By the time that Adrien gets there, Marinette has already arrived and the tea is on. He sits down, settling next to his girlfriend. Tikki hovers near her partner. This time, there's no idle and friendly chatter. There are serious matters to be dealt with. The old guardian's expression is neither grave but neither is it as welcoming as it sometimes is. He offers the teen some of the warm beverage as they wait for the final member of their somewhat peculiar committee. The kwamis have their own little meals provided for them. He tries his best to relax, to pretend that this is all a formality.

He feels a familiar soft hand against his own and turns to Marinette. It's nice to be reminded that he isn't alone.

Nathalie arrives only a few moments later. She apologizes, the traffic was, unsurprisingly bad. The woman settles down near to the group which now forms something resembling a circle. The assistant is handed her own cup of hot tea which she holds. A silence has settled over the group. They all know why they're here, given that they were the ones to organize the meeting and yet now that they're all gathered together like this none of them seems to know quite where to begin.

Marinette is timid. Adrien is lost. Nathalie is reluctant to start off what she fears could turn into a toxic debate. As such, it's Master Fu who finally takes the initiative:

"I trust that your mother is recovering."

"Yes." Adrien nods once. "She's up on her feet, talking, eating… She's back to normal."

"And the Peacock miraculous?"

"She still has it." He declares neutrally.

"If she's better then it needs to be retrieved. That miraculous has been abused too much already."

Adrien glances at Nathalie out of the corner of his eye. There's perhaps something of an accusation there. Master Fu knows the whole story. What the woman did both good and bad. He's made it very clear that she will never use the jewel again. For all that, she doesn't shy away. The woman remains made of stone. Is she shameless or simply acknowledges her own faults and no longer feels obliged to apologize for them seeing that it can't change what she's already done. He's not sure if he should be admiring her for maintaining a semblance of dignity when faced with her own flaws and crimes.

It should only be a formality to get the miraculous back, Emilie has already agreed to return it.

That's not the only reason why they're here. If it was, it would only take a few instants. Instead, there is a much more serious matter which hung over their heads. This time, it was Adrien who spoke:

"We can't keep her locked up anymore."

"She's asked to go outside?" Master Fu raises an eyebrow, curious.

"No. Not exactly." Adrien clarifies, Emilie's been remarkably well-behaved in that respect. "-but it isn't right to say that she can't leave the mansion."

"I assume that you have a cover story prepared."

"We do." Nathalie's assurance is given briefly.

They've been working on it since the woman first woke up. Emilie's case is both complicated and very simple. She disappeared. That's all anyone knows. Unfortunately, she's been gone a very long time indeed and nobody's heard anything about her. The initial plan had been to claim that she'd been ill. They would need medical records. Nathalie had reminded them. Journalists would go digging, when no evidence could be found that would lead to only more questions. Anything such as an accident or amnesia was also unlikely, she was after all a famous actress married to one of the fashion world's most influential designers, someone somewhere would have recognized her.

No. Emilie Agreste had had to disappear and remain hidden out of her own free will. Adrien knows that she won't like it but it's the best that they've been able to come up with and more importantly shouldn't lead back to the shadier parts of their family's dealings. At any rate, it seems to be enough for Master Fu. He trusts them. After all, two of their number have already proven that they have a knack for this sort of thing. A year of hiding in plain sight is nothing to be sniffed at.

"There's another matter of course." Nathalie speaks but the teen doesn't look up to see her. "Emilie's return will be all over the news. Sooner or later, Gabriel's going to come back."

Adrien takes a couple of sips of his tea. It's something he's acutely aware of but finds himself unwilling to hear any of it. There are some matters he's prayed to never have to face again. Yet he knows that in the coming weeks they will be inevitable. He hasn't seen, talked to or even directly heard from his father since they'd parted company three years ago. All of his dealings have been strictly business related and have gone through Nathalie. It would seem that having his hopes of bringing his wife back dashed and then coming close to being on the wrong end of cataclysm both curtsy of his wayward son hadn't exactly endeared the boy to his parent.

That suits him just fine. The man haunts his nightmares enough as it is without him having to deal wit him in the flesh.

She knows that he'll be coming back. There will be no keeping him away once Emilie has shown herself in public. That thought invites dread into the deepest recesses of his body and mind. He tries not to think about it. Master Fu grumbles under his breath, the prospect of seeing the man again doesn't appeal to him either, especially if he starts sniffing round the miraculous:

"You two will be at risk." He declares, his eyes traveling between Adrien and Nathalie.

"He doesn't have any miraculous any more." Marinette notes quietly, hesitating before adding. "I suppose it would be silly to think that doesn't make him dangerous."

"It depends..." Of all of them, perhaps his former assistant knows him best. "Now that Emilie's back, he might just want to try to get back to a regular life or he could revert to his old ways..."

"We could just haul his ass back on the first plane back to China..." Adrien mutters through clenched teeth.

Nathalie's already warned him that might be easier said than done. Back when they had first sent the man packing, there had been some fear that he might return. He hadn't of course but Adrien's guardian had taken the time to explain to him that things would become far more complicated if their struggle became public. If Gabriel's son and personal assistant were seen to be trying to keep him out of the country, people would inevitably begin asking questions. There were certain truths which would do none of them any good if they came to light.

His use of language was met with a glare from the Guardian but some acceptance from the two women.

"We'll have to start taking precautions again..." Marinette continues, they haven't been reckless these past few years but they haven't been as cautious as they once were. "Making sure that he doesn't find you master and that he can't get his hands on our miraculous either."

"I trust you to protect me Ladybug." The old man turns his attention back to the mansion's residents. "What will you do if he turns up on your doorstep?"

"Punch him in the teeth..."

Adrien's voice is low, grumbling. He mumbles his words under his breath, almost as if he's vocalizing his thoughts without wanting to. If his first comment was overlooked or perhaps rather more accurately ignored, the second isn't allowed to slide. A somewhat more awkward silence settles in over the group. He doesn't seem to recognize the fact that all eyes are now on him. Oblivious or unashamed? It's difficult to tell. Whatever the case, he doesn't quite seem to be himself.

Perhaps Master Fu would have inquired about his statement, tried to get to the bottom of it. Nathalie however is quick to interject. She speaks calmly but with a certain firmness. Her words are as much an order as they are a suggestion:

"Why don't you go get a breath of fresh air? Cool off your head a bit."

He doesn't argue. The teen just gets up and leaves, his kwami follows him. They watch as he leaves, closing the door behind him. He won't go far, the woman knows that much. Likely, he'll just loiter around outside for a few minutes until things begin to make sense again.

All attention is focused on her now. Still the woman offers no explanation for her actions or for Adrien's declarations. Marinette is perhaps a little bit more aware than Master Fu that Gabriel remains a touchy subject for the man's son. Does he hate his father? She doesn't know, she's inclined to believe that he does. It's more how open he is with his aggression that takes her by surprise. Silence lingers for a while. The way that Master Fu looks at Nathalie, it's as if he's expecting some manner of an explanation. When it becomes clear that he's not going to get one, the girl decides to interject with something of a note of humor:

"Guess it's a good thing he didn't call up for his birthday."

"That anger, is it just for show?" Master Fu is straight to the point.

"I have no idea..." Nathalie is maybe not being entirely honest with her answer. "Adrien's father doesn't exactly bring out the best in him."

The old man hums thoughtfully. There's no doubt that this has taken him by surprise. In truth, Marinette's a little shaken as well. Only Nathalie seems to be comparatively unaffected. Is it something that she's used to or is it just another part of her seemingly unflappable exterior?

They resolve to deal with some more matters whilst Adrien's away. He likely won't be long, at least that's what his guardian tells them. So they talk about eventualities. Gabriel can't be allowed anywhere near the miraculous and neither can his wife. The sooner they manage to retrieve the jewel they've already given her the better. Nathalie has already taken the precaution of deleting the digital copy they have of the spellbook. With the exception of Cat Noir's ring, there won't be a trace of anything supernatural left in the Agreste mansion. They should, on paper at least, be able to return to something resembling their old lives.

The question remains what will happen to Adrien and Nathalie if Gabriel does return:

"Can you protect him?"

"From everything? No, of course not." Nathalie is smart but she is also willing to admit her own limiations. "I can look out for things that he won't. Adrien thinks his mother's a saint. We don't have any reason to doubt her right now but all the same… There's no telling just how she'll react to seeing Gabriel again."

"Will you tell her about Hawk Moth?" Marinette questions tentatively.

"I don't know." The woman shrugs her shoulders. "Part of me thinks its unavoidable. When Gabriel returns, she's going to wonder why there's so much bad blood between him and Adrien. On the other hand, if he's got no intention of going back to his former ways, then maybe it's best just to let things lie and bury the hatchet."

There's a knock at the door. Timidly, Adrien opens it a few seconds later. He looks tired all of a sudden, as if someone's sucked out all of his energy. He settles back down in silence, his eyes closed. If his intention is to reassure them that he's alright, he's failing poorly. Marinette is worried, having never seen him behave in such a manner, she's more inclined to turn towards the woman who deals with him on a daily basis. She doesn't seem too fazed by his current state. Nathalie eyes him for a moment before asking:

"Better?"

He nods a few times and uneasily, they resume. If Adrien is calmer, he's also quieter. This time, he seems just to sit there. Is he listening? Marinette can't say. He keeps his eyes closed, letting what's going on around him just wash over him.

Nathalie and Master Fu continue on as normal. They don't have a choice. As it turns out, there isn't much else to discuss. They've covered as much as they can. Now, they have to try and implement their strategy. It won't be easy and the next few weeks are going to be stressful without a doubt both in terms of their relationships, the shadow of Gabriel returning and then the inevitable hounding from the press. After a few moments, they turn to Adrien. It's his carer who gives him the potential bad news:

"There's a chance, a slim one that we might have to have him under the roof for a while… Could you live with that?"

"I guess..." He grumbles, evidently discontent. "I can just ignore him. It's not like we saw much of each other before."

There are many questions left unanswered simply because there's no way for them to prepare for every eventuality. As the group leaves, Adrien is quiet. He had hoped rather than actually believed that his mother's return would be simple and they could go back to how they were. Now, he finds himself reminded that her presence will inevitably draw back a ghost he's not too sure he can face yet, several in fact.

After all, they have achieved exactly what Gabriel Agreste desired.


	12. Heavy shoulders

**_Author's note: Once more, thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

Emilie would likely have objected more fervently to the cover story were it not for her own eagerness to be able to get back to a regular life. If she doesn't complain, it's quite clear that she's not overly content either. Thankfully, it doesn't become a contentious point and she agrees to go along with it comparatively willingly.

It's quite a complicated operation to reintegrate the woman into society, if only because it has to look like an accident. So, Nathalie whose talent for these things will never cease to astonish Adrien, starts a few rumors on social media. A woman resembling Emilie Agreste was recently seen at Charles de Gaulle airport. Some, claim to have seem a blonde woman moving inside the mansion through the top windows. Within a few hours, the internet is a wash of gossip and speculation. By the end of the first day, there are some extra paparazzi outside. The next day, it's impossible for any of the residents to set foot outside without being faced with a barricade of microphones and flash photography.

Yesterday, they made a statement: Emilie Agreste has indeed returned to them.

Since then, the mansion's been in lockdown. Outside, there's a veritable swarm of journalists the likes of which they haven't seen since the woman first disappeared. Nathalie is in the study dealing with the legal side of things. Most notably, she's dealing with the police who perhaps predictably have a few questions regarding the supposedly missing woman who has seemingly miraculously turned up. She's been talking with them for the past three hours now.

Adrien lies quietly on the couch. Another disturbed night's sleep makes him sleepy. He excuses himself by claiming that it's the exams that he just finished which have taken a lot out of him, that much isn't a lie either. With the press here, Marinette isn't able to pay as many visits as she usually would. Nathalie is busy and Plagg is forced to keep a low profile on account of Emilie. Macaroon is lying on his back, legs in the air, snoring loudly next to the sofa. It's a comical sight, if a current one. The teen mindlessly rubs the dog's belly as he himself struggles to find any rest. It must be that confounded portrait with his father still looking down at him.

He shifts slightly, pressing his head against some of the cushions in the hopes that it would be able to shield him some more from the light or the noise from outside.

"Tired again?"

He recognizes that soft voice easily. Green eyes open partially to see the familiar form of a blonde haired woman. He makes the effort to sit up, trying to give the impression that all is well. He doesn't want anyone worrying about him. He's pretty sure that he's too late as far as Marinette's concerned and Nathalie has been aware for years now but his mother? He wants her to think that he's still her little boy. Everything's just fine.

He offers the woman a smile which evidently fails to conceal his half-awake state. She hesitates a moment before making a move towards the couch. His brain is sluggish, it takes him a few moments to shift, making some room for her to settle down next to him. Despite his best efforts, this still seems decidedly strange to him. He tries to act normal but that's all it is.

"Acting" is something he's been doing for what feels like most of his life. First he'd been perfect Adrien Agreste, sometimes a cocky black clad feline superhero, he'd been Dylan for a while too… For three years, he'd been able to more or less be who he was. He fits in as something as an odd mix between the three past lives, an imperfect blend. Some of it no doubt can also be attributed to the fact that he's maturing. He's not a child anymore. His days of innocence are far behind him. Like most people, he keeps his secrets and tries not to wear his heart on his sleeves but at the very least, he no longer feels obliged to be someone else. Although from time to time, he does somewhat wish that he was. With his mother however, things are different. There are things he plainly doesn't want her to know. He wants her to think that he's still the same, smiling boy in that photo that's so dear to both of them.

His mother peers at him. She doesn't attempt to conceal her concern from him. He shies away, unwilling to face the consequences of his parent seeing past the disguise which he's spent so long perfecting.

"Are you okay sweetie?" The woman asks somewhat hesitantly. "You seem, I don't know…"

There are no words for it but he knows what she means: "_not right_".

He isn't right. How could he possibly be right? So much has happened which she remains blissfully unaware of. From time to time, they come back to haunt him. Sometimes, he can associate them with certain events which trigger them. Others, he can be fine, feel fine and then suddenly in a heartbeat, everything changes. He doesn't know why.

Nathalie and Marinette help in different ways. The former because she knows what troubles him and how to deal with it, as much as it can be dealt with. She's a comfort. If he needs to talk, they talk. If he'd rather have some peace and quiet, then she gives it to him. She doesn't abandon him though, she's always nearby should he suddenly need her. His girlfriend is different. He doesn't know if she talks to his carer but he has never burdened her with some of the pains of his existence. When she's around, they tend to fade away. He doesn't know what it is about the girl, if it's her miraculous or simply something innately magical about the person but she's able to somehow ward off his troubles. If she's nearby, there are no monsters.

"It's just exams…" It's not the truth but perhaps not entirely a lie. "Things are kind of stressful at the moment."

"I'm sure this isn't helping." Emilie glances out the window as if she half expected to see a photographer pressed up against the glass.

"Yeah but I want things to go back to the way that they were. It's not fair that you're cooped up in here..."

"It's nice to know that you still worry about your old mother."

Adrien dares to look at her. How can the woman be just as he remembers? Perhaps because she fell into a coma. Five years has passed for him but as far as she's concerned, that was only a few weeks ago. It must be strange. Almost like being frozen in time and then awoken in some strange future. He wonders if this is what she envisioned half a decade ago.

He opens his mouth, eager to speak, to express himself. It feels as if there's a terrible weight on his heart. It's everything that he's ever wanted to tell her and since she's disappeared that's only been growing. For the life of him however, he doesn't know where to start. It's tempting to just try dumping everything on her shoulders. Mother knows best after all. He stops himself however. It isn't fair for another to bear his burden, especially when she had no part (at least not a conscious and willing one) in its formation.

Instead, he opts for a very simple statement:

"I missed you..."

Her gaze softens but she says nothing. She must have known. They were so close before. He feels awkward, clumsy in an odd way. As a boy, he'd dreamed that their reunion would see things going back to the way that they had once been, as if somehow magically erased. He knows now that's impossible. Shifting slightly, he rubs his arms uncomfortably awaiting a response. It must be hard for her as well. He's not the person that he once was and knows that he can't go back.

He peers at the woman out of the corner of his eye, curious to see her reaction, how she's taking all of this. He finds himself faced with a compassionate look but one which hides something else, an understanding. He realizes that his excuses might not be as effective as he had hoped that they were. He looks away, somewhat ashamed by the lies that he's being forced to tell his own mother of all people.

"There's something that you're not telling me. A lot of things..." She frowns a little. "It's troubling you."

"How can you tell?" Adrien questions, turning back to look at her, genuinely curious.

"I'm your _mother_."

She stresses that last word as if it means everything in the world and, to him, it does.

He's wanted her back for so long. Nathalie had made things better. Man is gentle and kind but in a different way to his mother. His parent is more openly affectionate. She radiates warmth like sunshine. It's enough to begin to thaw some of the ice which despite himself, has settled around his heart. The anger which sometimes lingers dissipates along with the fear. Only tiredness remains. He sits there, wondering just how he came to be in such an odd situation and just why they're dancing around like this.

The teen can feel his resolve beginning to waver.

"So much has happened since you _left_." He uses the term simply because right now, he doesn't have a better one.

"I can tell…" Her mutter contains a painful regret. "I don't know what's on your mind Adrien but please, let me help. Whatever it is, you can tell me. I don't want to see you upset."

He turns to look at her and this time doesn't look away. Are there tears behind his eyes? He can't quite tell. There's a pain in his chest, that's for sure and he wants rid of it, come what may. His lower lip trembles slightly. He's been instructed to keep quiet about certain matters. His identity must remain a secret, even from his mother. His own shame and embarrassment prevent him from speaking freely about the rest: the nightmares and the fear and anger which just come without him wanting or being able to control it.

How could she understand? He doesn't want her to understand.

He reaches for Macaroon stroking the dog. It serves to calm him a little. His mother's still there. If anything, his attempt to reach for the nearest source of comfort only seems to have confirmed in her mind that something's terribly wrong. He can feel her gaze burrowing into him. Its weight is tangible.

Perhaps… Just a couple of words. Maybe that would help. The same way that Nathalie knows how to calm him down and what he needs, he wonders if his mother might be able to do the same.

"I…" His voice trails off for a moment, he takes a gulp. "Things have been rough."

"Rough, how?" She continues to pry gently but insistently.

"Just-" Words don't seem to come and he feels like screaming. "There's all this stuff in my head!"

"Yes, honey but what sort of "stuff"?"

He wants to tell her. Needs to get this out of him. It's physically burning at him. He feels as if he might be about to burst, as if everything that's kicking around inside of him is about to come out. Will it help him or break him? He doesn't know. It's unbearable though. His mother's gaze remains focused on him. It's asking quietly, promises to make everything better again if he just opens up and lets her know what's on his mind.

The eighteen-year-old looks to his mother. He's anxious and fiddles with his ring, trying to take his attention off of matters at hand. There's a thousand words on the tip of his tongue, just waiting to come pouring out. He knows that he won't be able to stop them if even a couple escape.

Just then, the door opens. It's Nathalie. She's finished with the police it would seem. Her gaze falls upon mother and son. As usual, her expression (or apparent lack of one) gives no clues as to just what is going through her mind.

"_Man_!" He breathes it out a little too eagerly.

Her attention travels over to him. The teen pushes himself up off of the couch, almost stumbling over Macaroon as he does so. In a flash, he remembers who he is and what he can and cannot do. He can breathe again. His pains and anxiety don't vanish but at least they're not as omnipresent as they had been only a few moments ago. He no longer feels like the dam's about to burst. When Nathalie's around, it's reinforced with concrete and cement.

"They're about ready for the statement." Nathalie announces, formal as always.

"Right! Better go get ready. I'll put Macaroon in my room, we don't want him escaping again." The teen is quick to dart out the door. "Come on boy!"

Macaroon charges past almost colliding with Nathalie as he attempts to catch up with his owner. Adrien's laugh can be heard as the dog's claws scratch on the marble as he desperately tries to stop himself. It's astonishing how the boy's entire demeanor can change on a time. How much was real and what was an act, it was hard to say.

Nathalie shakes her head as there's a crash. She doesn't even want to know who collided with what… Instead, she makes her way towards the door. There's a lot that needs to be done and they only have a few minutes before they're due outside.

Without warning however, Emilie steps in, blocking her way. Somewhat startled, Nathalie takes a single step backwards, eager to put some room between the two of them. She's not overly fond of people getting into her personal space. It's not hostility which lies behind the other woman's green eyes so much as something else, concern maybe? There can be little doubt what or rather who is the cause of her distress. Silence lasts only for a few moments before they reach the heart of the issue:

"What's wrong with him?" The woman nods in the direction where Adrien had just left.

"Nothing that gets better when poked." Nathalie's response was flat but firm. "He's had a rough time-"

"Funny, that's exactly what he said." If she'd been expecting or waiting for a response, the assistant doesn't dignify her with one. "I don't want to trouble him so maybe you can tell me what's happened to my son?!"

"It's been five years Emilie. Losing you hit him and his father hard."

It's all the explanation which Nathalie is willing to offer at this particular point in time. It's all any of them can afford with so many uncertainties as to just how this whole mess started in the first place.

She makes another, more forceful attempt to exit the room. A brief look is all that it takes for Emilie to back down. She says nothing, stepping backwards to allow the other woman to pass. As long as there are secrets, they cannot be open with one another. It's a snake biting its own tail and Nathalie knows that they haven't heard the last of it...


	13. Unanswered

Emilie's first public outing is a relatively simple one: visiting Gabriel, the company headquarters. Thankfully after three days, the man is yet to show himself.

The outside world evidently seems like a strange place to her. Probably not because it's alien but just the size and scale of it all. Her gaze is focused out of the window, taking in the large buildings and the crowds of people. Gorilla drives steadily, with Nathalie in the passenger seat and Adrien and his mother in the back. If Emilie seems entranced by the outside world which she's been cut off from for the past five years, it's her son who looks at her, entertained by the enthrallment that seems to come with life outside of the mansion.

They're dropping in unannounced. Well, relatively at least. It's the best way to avoid the press, to take them by surprise. Gabriel had never announced his presence. He'd just turned up unannounced and astonished people by doing so. Like it or not, she had learned a fair deal under his tutelage.

From the back of the car, there's a beep. Adrien looks up, a beaming smile on his face:

"Marinette's there!"

"Good. Girl's on time for once."

There's an amused and somewhat teasing tone to Nathalie's voice. Emilie turns to Adrien, curious to see how he reacts to hearing his girlfriend mocked. To her surprise, she finds him smiling, even laughing a bit. Something tells her that punctuality is not Mrs. Dupain-Cheng's forte and it's a matter which the assistant has commented on many a time in the past.

Sure enough, the limousine parks and as they get step out, a young woman with pigtails is there to greet them. She smiles and waves but shies away from displaying any overt excitement. As far as Emilie can tell, she sees her boyfriend most days anyhow. In public, Marinette seems to possess the maturity and self-control to avoid charging into Adrien and generally being all over him as Chloe used to be. Even when she does give him a kiss on the cheek, it's clear that he's comfortable with it and might have given her a mark of affection of his own if they didn't have company.

He does take her hand as they enter the building however, although that seems to be essentially a reflex at this point, something so natural, neither of them put any thought into it.

The group don't waste much time going back inside. The whole point of turning up relatively unannounced is to avoid the press getting wind of Emilie's first trip outside of the mansion and its shielding protective walls. The inside of the Gabriel brand's head office hasn't changed all that much. They have new models, new faces, new designs but much of the staff remains the same. Some even greet her. The woman seems confused, a little out of sorts.

It's a bit of a worry. They've claimed she left due to an emotional breakdown – not the most flattering of portraits but the best that they could come up with given the seemingly bizarre circumstances regarding her disappearance. As such, people are being "gentle" with her. That and no doubt Nathalie's given them a good talking to beforehand. It doesn't escape Emilie's attention the way that the employees look to her husband's assistant with the same deference and respect, mixed with a healthy amount of a fear. It occurs to her that Gabriel must have been away for quite a while, perhaps even longer than she's been lead to believe, as it's clear just who's been calling the shots.

They make their way to the dressing rooms. There's a small runway there and a photographer, Vincent. She remembers him. He'd been newly hired the last time she'd laid eyes on the man. Now he seems to be a well-known face. It's strange how the world has marched on without her. Did they even notice her absence?

Adrien's going to be modeling. At least that much hasn't changed. How many years has it been since he first started? Six? He seems to know just what to do and what's expected of him as he talks with Marinette and another young woman whom Emilie fails to recognize. She seems to occupy a reasonably high position in the company or at least to be in charge of this particular department as she shows the young man the various clothes most of which were designed by Gabriel himself.

They're preparing for the summer collection. Given how chilly it is outside, it seems almost ironic. Emilie sits back and watches. It's been a while since she was at one of these sessions but can remember being there in the early days as a show of support for Gabriel, then later with his young son, showing him just what daddy did at work. Those days seem both far away and terribly near now.

The young man seems to take something of a back seat, being told what to or rather what's required of him by either Marinette who seems somehow to know about the entirety of the new collection or when the time comes to take photos from Vincent. It's difficult not to chuckle at a few of the man's instructions, he has such a bizarre way of phrasing things. She can tell that Adrien's being doing this for a while now. All of the poses come naturally to him, they seem to be second nature. There are some magazines near by, she flicks through them. Sure enough, he's become the poster boy for the company, exactly as Gabriel had predicted he would.

He must have all of the girls swooning.

"Have you been designing for long Marinette?" Emilie asks after they've been there for a little over an hour.

"Oh… About five-six years-" She blushes, averting her gaze so as to fix the floor. "I'm hoping to work in the industry one day."

"Looks to me as if you already do."

These designs are good, very good in fact. Emilie notices by flicking through the pages that more than the occasional design is not by Gabriel Agreste but rather Marinette Dupain-Cheng. There are quite a few shots of Jagged Stone wearing something that she's behind. Given that she must be somewhere between 16 and 18, Emilie hasn't asked but assumes that she must be roughly the same age as her son.

Nathalie seems to be taking a step back today. She watches but from her own corner. The woman actually looks quite tired, drained. Perhaps she hadn't had a good night's sleep. Emilie doesn't question it. Focusing instead on her son. A son who for a while seems to be distracted by the assistant. There's no denying the concern behind his gaze. Marinette picks up on his wandering attention but doesn't make any attempt to reclaim it. After about the fifth time that he looks away out of the corner of his peripheral vision, the woman gives him a discrete little gesture of the hand, almost dismissive.

He doesn't look back.

It's yet another curious thing that Emilie has to add to an ever growing list of bits and pieces which don't quite sit right with her.

In one of the magazines, there's a photo of Gabriel. He's cold and austere. That much doesn't really surprise her all that much, the man always struggled to smile for a photo. He looks older though. A few more lines occupy his face. It's been five years after all… Too long. Far too much time has passed. None of this was planned.

She forces a smile as Adrien takes the opportunity to wear a Jagged Stone's new jacket. It's a little small for him but that doesn't prevent him from letting out a "rock n' roll" much to Marinette's amusement. The two are definitely close, there can be no denying that much. It's clear with every little touch, the way that they look at one another. It's nice to see some of the sunshine return to her boy. It's more of the young man that she can remember as opposed to the person that he seems to have become.

There's something else that draws her attention as he walks down, flexing his muscles and posing for the camera. The bright neons make the discolored marks on the teen's skin stand out against the rest of his flesh. Initially, she assumes they're just a trick of the light but after a few moments, she's sure that they're there. The woman is cautious, she doesn't make a big deal about it. Filing things away as just another one of these things which she wasn't supposed to find out about or that didn't seem to be important enough to talk about.

She excuses herself after a few more minutes, claiming that she needs the bathroom.

Emilie wanders confused and a little lost through the rooms. Her return earns some rather curious glances. Not everyone is afraid of staring. That suits her well enough. Eventually, she stumbles upon a young woman, she doesn't know what her job is here and it doesn't particularly matter all that much.

"Hi." Emilie's approach is cautious, almost nervous.

"Mrs. Agreste!" Her target seems a little unsettled. "Is everything alright?"

"Sorry. It's just been a while, I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the nearest bathroom." She keeps her tone sweet and innocent.

"Oh." The woman turns slightly so as to designate a door somewhere behind her. "It's just down the hallway on the left."

"Oh thank you!"

She makes to move away as if she was heading in the direction the employee had just designated. The woman seems to have relaxed somewhat, no doubt having gotten over the shock of encountering a woman whose been markedly absent for five years. That's all it takes for Emilie to pause. In the face of yet more confusion, she offers her a wonderful smile. It small and innocent, promising no trouble.

"Maybe you can help me… I was wondering when my husband last came here?"

"Mr. Agreste? Well, it's been quite a while. Three, maybe four years? He's been in China. Mrs. Sancoeur see to it that we get his instructions."

"Of course..." She smiles, nodding encouragingly. "China… Thank you. I really shouldn't be keeping you!"

Emilie Agreste has a thousand questions. The answers are a little slow in coming. So perhaps it's time for her to start looking for them…


	14. Paths

"How about a walk?"

Adrien looks up from his books to see his mother. The woman stands before him patiently. She appears relaxed, a gentle smile on her face as she waits patiently for his answer. Her son blinks a few times, surprised by the suggestion. His mother has been increasingly eager to get out and see the city. Often that means her heading out more or less alone given that he has class and that Nathalie has to manage the company. So of course she's left to her own devices. She must get lonely at times, the teen reasons.

He knows what it is to be trapped inside the walls.

Getting over his surprise, he gets to his feet, placing the book down on the couch. He's a little tired from having buried himself in his studies and the idea of having the chance to stretch his legs in quite an appealing one.

"Sure thing but uh-" The teen glances over towards Macaroon, slumbering nearby. "I probably should take Macaroon. He needs to get out."

His mother doesn't make many attempts to conceal the fact that she's lukewarm as far as the canine's concerned. Today however she nods understandingly. Apparently the thought of having the dog with them isn't a show stopper. So he guesses that she doesn't want to go anywhere where an animal companion would prove to be problematic. Perhaps just a little stroll around the block. It's not something that they ever used to do together.

Five minutes later, he's by the door. Macaroon is already barking loudly, jumping up and down at the prospect of going for a walk. Adrien smiles but wishes that for once the mutt would play ball so as to try and ease his mother about his presence. Whatever the case, it takes him the best part of a minute to calm the pooch down enough to manage to clip the leash on. Still, his mother remains patient. In truth, she seems a little distracted. The reason soon becomes apparent:

"Where's Nathalie?"

"Out." Adrien informs her finally managing to grab the dog's collar. "She said she won't be coming back for lunch."

"She's not still working, is she?" Emilie sounds truly appalled."It's Sunday!"

"Um… I don't know."

For the first time, it strikes him as odd, he usually knows where the woman is or at least the basics of her schedule. She'd just told him that she was going out and not to wait up for her at lunch. No further detail had been offered and he hadn't asked. He assumes it's something to do with work. It's hard to imagine what else Nathalie could be doing. The teen chooses not to dwell on the subject, although he might question her when she returns if she's in an appropriate mood to put up with his curiosity.

He sends her a text for good measure so that she doesn't return home early and end up wondering just where they've disappeared off to.

A few moments later and they're out the door and he's being dragged along helplessly. Macaroon is almost as heavy as he is and has the added benefit of four feet instead of just the two. The first five minutes of his walk are always a nightmare. Adrien leans back as much as possible struggling to avoid getting dragged face forwards as the dog pulled. It's just excitement. He could be taken for a hundred walks in one day, they would all start out the same way. It's embarrassing but at this point he is used to it. His mother has to speed up so as to keep pace with the two of them. If it bothers her, she doesn't let it show.

Eventually, Macaroon begins to calm down and the pulling and barking relents. Everything becomes just a little more relaxed and civilized. It allows the two of them to actually speak:

"You've got to raise them properly when they're puppies." Is his mother scolding him? He's not too sure.

"Yeah… We got him from a shelter."

The woman nods slowly, as if that somehow explains everything.

Her son wonders if she has a destination in mind. She definitely seems to be taking the lead. He doesn't mind. Following all the while walking by her side. Walks are the sort of mundane thing which he wishes felt less strange that they currently do. He wants to be able to spend time with his mother without either being reminded of Hawkmoth or struggling with the urge to pinch himself so as to ensure that this isn't a dream. He wishes that this was all just a natural part of life. Then again, this is the first time that they've been for a walk like this together, perhaps he'll get used to it. He's discovered that he can get used to a good deal. It must be strange for his mother as well, he reasons.

"I didn't think that Nathalie was much of an animal person." His mother seems eager to keep a conversation going.

"She's not particularly fond of them but she grew up on a farm so..."

His voice trails off. His mother seems to have developed a talent for asking questions which he's never really thought about himself. In truth, if they had a dog it was because he'd always wanted one. He doesn't think that Nathalie ever particularly cared for having one. She doesn't like animals all that much but will, at a push, help out with them. He's seen her lend a hand around her grandmother's farm be it mucking out chickens or feeding the goats. She'll do it but it's evident she gets no real pleasure out of their company.

They continue until they reach the Seine, crossing over and following it upriver.

She asks him if he comes this way often. It depends. Marinette lives in this general direction and Collège Françoise Dumont was too but it can be quite a walk so he often ends up either being driven or taking the metro. Has he any plans for the future? A few. He's going into business school assuming that he gets his BAC. What about after that? He's not entirely sure. Does he still go to the same fencing school? Of course, Mr. Dagincourt is the best teacher in all of Paris after all.

Then, out of the blue, she asks him one that hits him like a ton of bricks:

"When were you planning on mentioning that little rock climbing accident of yours?"

He tenses up abruptly, instantly realizing what she's referring to.

His "rock climbing accident" was no such thing. It was another of Nathalie's fabrications. There's always a reason for them. This, somewhat more outlandish one but it had needed to be. When it had become clear that he was going to be left with some scars from his confrontation with Hawk Moth and then more so from the collapse of the grand Palais were going to be with him for a while, they'd needed to explain to the outside world just how he'd got them. An accident rock climbing involving some nasty bushes at the base of a cliff had seemed like a good place to start, also providing an excuse for just how he'd succeeded in cracking three ribs.

His hand travels towards the spot where his father's blade once pierced his flesh. It still burns sometimes whenever he thinks back to that terrible night. Even here right now, in broad daylight, he can see the cold fury behind Hawk Moth's eyes as Dylan had charged forwards for the last time. He rubs it sometimes enough to worry the skin. Nathalie had him go to the doctor once when he'd informed her about the sensation. There's no medical reason for it to be hurting. It's healed up and the stitches were done professionally. So he'd been told to take painkillers and come back if the sensation persisted.

Adrien finds himself no longer walking next to the river with a slightly cool breeze on his face. Instead, it's dark, his eyes are stinging from the dust and he can't breathe. The same terror grips him as for a few moments, he's convinced that he's back under the rubble:

"Adrien?" His mother's voice only just reaches his ears.

"I- I'm fine..."

He manages to pull himself together. The fear lingers for a while as he continues to walk on. He's doing all that he can to stay in the here and now and not to dwell on what once was.

He's safe now. He repeats it like a mantra to himself. That's all in the past. Hawk Moth is gone. He can't hurt him anymore. All the same, he finds himself searching for Plagg, even subconsciously inside of his pocket. The kwami can't show himself. Not in public, not with his mother so close. Nathalie and Marinette are nowhere nearby. So he's left only with his parent and he's desperate to conceal his affliction from her. As such, even with a thundering heart, he forces himself to smile. Ignoring how false it must look.

"Not pleasant memories." He offers as an explanation.

"I can imagine. You're as pale as a ghost..."

"I'm sorry for not telling you." He's about to lie again and finds himself clenching his teeth as he speaks, causing him to mutter. "Didn't want to worry you."

"Oh, please Adrien, don't feel that you have to keep things from me. I'm your mother, I want to help."

Perhaps his smile is a little more genuine this time, softer as he feels some of that maternal warmth he'd spent so long longing for.

For a moment, he fears that she might be about to push further, to attempt to get to the bottom of just why he has such a violent reaction to what, to some, might appear to be a relatively mundane event. Instead however, she seems to sense that it's upsetting him and backs off. It comes as a relief, allows him to breathe. Gradually, his heartbeat returns back to normal and he is able, once more to relax. An awkward silence settles over them:

"I'm sorry if I seem nosy or insensitive, it's just-" She pauses, her voice trembling with emotion.

"You don't have to apologize." He stops her short.

"No. You're my little boy and it's been so long, I'm just trying to understand the man you've become."

Adrien frowns pensively.

He can't help but wonder if she can even recognize him anymore. Physically, he's different but it's not the scars that people can see which he's the most conscientious about. He doesn't bother to hide those. So much has happened and changed. He doesn't recall ever being so tired or angry. There's a rage that takes over him sometimes, a pain which he can't explain and which makes him want to do nothing more than pass it on. How can he make the woman see that somewhere inside, there's the same old Adrien. He's just a little older and has seen more of the world than he perhaps should have, that's all.

Nathalie would know. She's good at getting past all the hurt and getting to the core of the issues which trouble him but then she's been filling a role that Emilie had once occupied. There's no reason why she can't be trusted once more and yet… He's reluctant to turn exclusively towards his birth mother. He can't quite say why. Whilst ignoring or forgetting about the assistant was obviously not possible, he equally doesn't want his mother to feel like she's somehow been replaced. She never was.

On the other hand, Nathalie's more than just his father's assistant. She's played quite the role in shaping just who he is now. He wonders briefly if she's been a more influential figure in his life than his mother.

It's a question he doesn't need or want answered at the moment.

They're down by the place des Vosges. A fond smile makes its way onto Emilie's lips. It distracts her son from his innermost thoughts. There's something about his mother, whenever she smiles it's like the world gets just that little bit brighter. The action is almost inevitably contagious. Still, he does find himself unsure as to just what's brought it on. Perhaps, she's just relishing being able to walk around in the open like this. After a few moments, it's almost like she senses his puzzlement, explaining herself:

"We used to come here all the time when you were little, don't you remember?"

"Of course I do!" Her son replies, thinking back to those simpler times. "I used to pester you for ice creams."

"Do you want one now?" She questions with a knowing look in her eye.

"I…" Any notions about being a cool and sophisticated teenager are abandoned when he catches sight of the vendor. "… wouldn't say no..."

He feels almost childish as he's handed the cone with a single scoop of passion fruit ice cream. As a matter of a fact, it's the exact same flavor and quantity that he'd enjoyed as a boy. It's a bit of a challenge to eat and keep a hold of Macaroon so they eventually sit down on a nearby bench. Whilst it's still a little chilly and the leaves are only just beginning to appear as buds on the trees, it's none-the-less a pleasant spot. There are many families out. The teen finds himself relaxing, not necessarily something that comes easily to him these days.

If Adrien finds himself focusing more on the children playing with their parents and memories of his own past, his mother's attention is suddenly drawn elsewhere:

"Miraculous holders?"

"Yeah… Cat Noir and Ladybug."

Her eyes have found the large bronze statue. Adrien's so used to it at this point that it scarcely even registers. To a stranger – or someone who's been in a magically induced coma for the past five years – it must look a little stranger. His mother recognizes them for what they are however, much to his surprise. She fixes them for a moment before turning back to him, evidently eager for some further explanation.

Adrien hesitates but tries to mask the fact as being due to his reflecting about matters, wondering how best to phrase things. In actuality, he's acutely aware that there are things he's not meant to bring up. His secret identity is one of them. Up until this point, Emilie's knowledge of the miraculous has been exceedingly vague. She knows that she used the Peacock miraculous when it was damaged but can't say for what. Not once has she brought up any of the others. Even now, she doesn't mention anything about earrings or rings.

One thing is clear, he most definitely can't conceal the fact that Paris' heroes exist. Not when two of them are still active.

"They showed up about five years back. There were some major issues with these monster things but that's calmed down now. So they mostly just deal with stuff that some of the authorities struggle to handle..."

"I see..." Her voice trails off for a moment. "I wish that I could remember more about them- the miraculouses I mean."

"Maybe it'll come back someday..."

He's not too sure that he wants it to. They're better off like this. At least he doesn't have to explain just why her husband became Hawk Moth and just what he did.

Thankfully, her attention begins to wander once more. This time, it seems like she's actually searching for something. Adrien allows his own gaze to follow hers, actively trying to guess just what she might be looking for. It eludes him. She certainly seems to be a little puzzled. Whatever she expected or wanted to find, she's struggling to locate it. After a few more moments, she turns back to face him and explains herself:

"Marinette lives near here, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. The bakery's just over there!"

He points it out to her, glass windows just visible through the trees and fences. She – or more often the chef – used to go there every day to get their bread. She seems eager to return there for old times' sake. Adrien obliges.

Dogs aren't all that welcome inside. It's both the law and a bad experience with Macaroon and well… Some macaroons, has meant that the large mutt if officially outlawed from the store. So Adrien waits outside whilst Emilie goes in. She passes Marinette, eager to speak with her boyfriend about something for a little while. As usual, the girl is all smiles and pleasantness. She leaves the two outside. The smell of the bread hasn't changed and stirs a thousand memories in her mind. She takes a while to make her choice – it's been five years after all. There's a woman there, the teen's mother she wagers, who seems eager to strike up a conversation. Why wouldn't she? Their children are dating.

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng and the large man whom Emilie assumes is her husband who comes out later both seem to be the sort of kind and welcoming types with their heads firmly on their shoulders whom she has no qualms about her son being around. After five minutes, she eventually leaves, receiving plenty of encouragement to come by again for a drink or something. She promises to.

Outside, she's surprised to find Adrien looking a bit glum. Whatever the two of them are discussing, it must have been something comparatively grave to earn such a reaction. She only overhears the tail end of their conversation:

"I'll keep you posted."

They bid each other goodbye before Adrien rejoins her. He tries to put on a brave face, to forget about whatever was troubling him and actually does a not too bad job of it for his standards. Emilie however is neither fooled nor is she about to forget about the matter. They cross the street and back down towards the Seine. She keeps an eye on him out of her peripheral vision for a little while before asking:

"What was that about back there?" He appears a little puzzled but catches on soon enough. "-and don't you dare say "nothing"."

"It's my friend Nino's 18th birthday, in a few days." Adrien informs her with something of a heavy sigh. "The others are having a party and I'm invited."

"Nino…" She contemplates the name for a few moments, certain that she's heard it before. "He's the DJ, right?"

"That's him!" It's little things like being able to remember his friends' names which cause Adrien to smile. "He's super talented!"

"Well then what are you waiting for?" She laughs at the boy's hesitation. "Of course you can go!"

"Seriously?"

She just nods as a response.

The walk back is more sedate. Adrien opens up. He laughs and chats in a way that she's never seen him do up until this point. It's like she's got her little boy back. All that enthusiasm and joy, even down to the little spark behind his green eyes. Whatever been on his mind is lifted away. She doesn't question it, content to take advantage of his brighter mood.

They opt for a lunch out. The bread will do them for tonight's meal. Ice cream before lunch, it's hardly the typical order of things but then things are strange right now. They find a nice restaurant, slightly off of the beaten track full of tourists and settle down there. Are they pretending or is this real? Both would like to believe that latter. Adrien's smile isn't forced. He doesn't hide anything because no questions are asked that would require him to do so. Even Macaroon is well-behaved. Sitting there as a waiter brings him a bowl of water and his owner tosses him a few pieces of bread. They don't even touch the sides.

She gets him to chuckle on the way back home, telling him the same old stories that she had done when he was a child. They still manage to tickle his funny bone. He hasn't forgotten any of them but they haven't lost their charm in the retelling. Their laughter only grows louder as they grow nearer to the mansion and enter through its doors. He lets slip Macaroon. Rather than head for the dining room where his food and water dish are located, he makes a bee-line for the study, unusual. Adrien is quick to twig onto the fact that Nathalie must be home.

Sure enough, the woman emerged a moment later, highly unimpressed by the dog's greeting. His gaze travels between the two of them. Both are still slightly high on happiness from their trip and wearing beaming smiles.

Adrien's begins to fade however. Nathalie's been working no doubt and he's been out enjoying himself. That in itself doesn't quite bother him, it's not entirely uncommon. She wasn't invited along on this little outing. Whilst she hadn't been present for them to ask, it dawns on the teen that "mother and son outings" would necessarily exclude the woman. Does she feel left out? Has he betrayed some sort of trust between them? He wonders if some subconscious part of him might be drifting back towards his mother and driving him away from his _Man_.

Or is he just being paranoid?

It's towards Emilie that Nathalie seems to direct most of her attention. There's something behind the woman's blue gaze but Adrien can't make out just what it is. His mother only smiles warmly, confusing him further. He looks between the two of them but opts to remain silent, feeling awkward.

"How long have you been back Nathalie?" Emilie asks after a few moments.

"Not long..." A somewhat ambiguous answer given that it's getting on for three o'clock. "Did you two enjoy your trip?"

"Yes. Adrien showed me some of the places that we used to go when he was a little boy, didn't you?"

"Only around place des Vosges." The teen replies uneasy at having the attention suddenly directed back towards him. "I talked to Marinette for a bit. She says "hi"."

He adds the last part quickly, eager to change the subject. Nathalie smiles and nods before excusing herself, there's a fair bit of work which needs to be done apparently. Emilie too has matters to attend to, she's chatting with some of her old contacts from the film industry apparently. She's eager to see if she can get back to work and start living some semblance of a normal life again.

It leaves Adrien standing there awkwardly. His gaze travels up towards the large portrait which hangs just above the stairs. It's world which seems so far away now that he can scarcely believe that it was once his life.

Perhaps, he hopes, that in a few years, this confusion will be the same and he'll be laughing, thinking about how foolish all of this had been. Until then, he's going to admit that he's not entirely sure which path he's supposed to go down and how he's meant to get to that better but simple future he longs for.


	15. Insecurities

Nathalie creeps through the corridors of the mansion as quietly as she can. It's not so much Emilie or Adrien that she worries about waking, it's Macaroon. If the dog awakens, then she knows that he'll start creating a fuss and disturb his owner with his attempts to leave the boy's bedroom.

She flicks on the light. Inside her room, nothing has changed. She could lock it, arguably should now that Emilie's back but she's gotten so used to living with Adrien, who respects her privacy as if it's something sacred, that any such precautions seem excessive to her. It would be easy to become innocent and careless through spending too much time around her charge. So she ensures that anything private or important is either well hidden or on her at all times, memorizing things such as passwords instead of noting them down and ensuring that her tablet is locked at all times when she doesn't have it with her.

Letting out a sigh, she allows her handbag to slip off of her shoulder and onto a chair near her dresser and slips out of her shoes. She's tired. It's been a long day, albeit a pleasant one. She spends a few moments replying to some texts, a faint smile on her face as she does so.

Perhaps ten minutes after that, she's ready to begin her evening routine. She gets up, moving a little sluggishly and makes her way towards the windows. Her bare feet pad almost silently against the floorboards. She opens the window, eager for a breath of fresh air. It's a bit chilly but the evenings are gradually growing more clement. She doesn't do it for the warmth at any rate. After a day essentially spent cooped up indoors, she needs to feel a breeze, some fresh air to remind her what the outside world feels, sounds and tastes like. It's a habit she's gotten used to and even on days when she does get out and about, five minutes looking out at the city lights can do her a world of good.

As she opens the window and leans out against the cast iron balustrade however she quickly realizes that she isn't quite alone:

"Fancy bumping into you out here mademoiselle Sancoeur."

"Well, I happen to live here." She opts to humor the young man for a few moments. "-but it's not every day that we have one of the heroes of Paris on our roof. Do I have anything to worry about?"

"No, Ma'm." He assures her with an amused huff, trust her to always assume the worst. "Just enjoying the scenery."

A few seconds later, Cat Noir is perched on the balustrade. She offers him a somewhat tired smile. Anyone else, she might question just what they were doing up at this hour bothering her. She glances at her watch. With school tomorrow, Adrien really should be in bed. All the same, the woman doesn't scold him. More often than not, he has a good reason for his actions as bizarre and twisted as it can be. Sometimes however, it's made more difficult by the fact that he himself struggles to explain or even understand what's motivating him. It's an itch he can't scratch and some patience can be required from both parties.

Tonight however, his attention is rooted on her. He squats on the railing, held tilted slightly to one side contemplatively. A brief moment later, he declares neutrally, all tone of amusement gone from his voice:

"You're back late..."

"Yes. I suppose I am." There's no point in lying. "Have you been waiting up for me?" She gets a single nod as a reply. "Why?"

Cat Noir looks around glancing over his shoulder and down towards the street below, then around him once more. He seems to be somewhat nervous, something which instinctively causes him to tense up and worry. _Oh God what's he done now… _Is all that comes to her mind as she stands there. It's difficult not to sometimes imagine the worst where Adrien's concerned. He does have a particular knack for getting himself into improbable situations. Sometimes, if they're messy enough, he turns to her for help…

She's a little bit surprised when he reaches into his pocket, his expression changing to a slightly mischievous grin. He extends his hand before opening it and revealing a familiar jewel. Nathalie's eyes widen as she recognizes it. The look that she gives him is somewhere between curious and accusatory, in short, she requires and explanation.

"I'm supposed to take this to Master Fu tomorrow morning..." The teen explains quickly. "-but I figured that you could maybe hold onto it until then."

She fixes the miraculous with an instinctive sense of dread. After several unpleasant experiences, the last of which had been a near death one, her survival instinct has hardwired into her mind that this particular broach is dangerous. No matter how much she tries to reason that it's safe now, it's been repaired and no longer represents a threat to its user, it's a deep seated fear which takes hold of her, perhaps even causing her to instinctively recoil upon having the jewel presented to her in such a fashion.

She can still feel the icy chill as it leeches her strength, taking everything that she has and then just that little bit more. She finds herself back in that dingy bedroom in the high rise on the outskirts of Paris, struggling to do so little as breathe much less help injured boy who desperately needs and pleads for her assistance and guidance. The woman shakes her head, struggling to bring herself back into the real world and out of her memories.

Adrien fixes her understandingly, his attention falling back upon the miraculous.

"I don't like holding it either." He confesses in a quiet voice.

"I can't Adrien..." The woman tells him, her voice quieter than it usually is. "Not after everything that happened-"

It's as close as she'll ever willingly come to confessing to him that she's afraid.

The teen's gaze softens and he doesn't insist, closing his palm over the jewel. There's a gentle smile on his face as he switches to simply sitting on the railing. He kicks his legs letting them dangle in front of him. Apparently, he's not quite done here. Although the way that his gaze travels round the room somewhat listlessly informs her that he's not quite done yet. He seems unsettled, although perhaps not upset. At this point, she's somewhat used to him having… 'odd' moments. She's tired but tries to conceal that much from him.

"Is there something on your mind?"

"I dunno..."

Hardly helpful… Although, in retrospect, he's not being entirely truthful. A better way of putting it would have been to say: "Yes but I haven't worked out how to bring it up yet and I'm worried about upsetting you or making things awkward." She's acutely aware that that's what he really should declare but naturally doesn't.

Without saying anything, Nathalie sets about trying to work out what could be on his mind. It's unlikely that he's done something foolish and gotten into trouble, she trusts that he would be a good deal more straightforwards if that were the case. No, it's more likely that the matter is a good deal more personal and closer to his heart. That being said, he evidently isn't entirely comfortable with bringing it up around his mother, otherwise he would have done so over dinner. Following that logic, it would seem that something's bothering him about the woman or about their relationship. At the very least, he has a question or a doubt about his parent and has come to her for answers or guidance.

After a few moments, he lets out a tired sigh, allowing his head to fall backwards at an angle which causes the woman some concern, for a moment wondering if his entire body might be about to follow suit and end up slipping from the railing. He opens his eyes, starring up at the sky for a few instants before eventually turning back to look at her:

"I don't know… Feels like we haven't been chatting much recently."

Nathalie raises an eyebrow, unsure just what he's getting at. Adrien doesn't bother specifying what he means, shying away instead. He seems distracted, somewhat distant. Perhaps a little unsettled. She doubts he's been to bed yet and is thus able to discard the theory of him having suffered a nightmare. His current behavior is unusual but in a strange way, it actually reminds her of what he'd been like as Dylan during those first few months in their flat.

He flexes on the balcony railing in a way that she'll never be comfortable with. Black Cat or not, that's a long way to fall. She bites her lower lip to avoid commenting on it. Instead, the woman chooses to try and distract him by a conversation and hopefully convince him that walking a tightrope of iron isn't the best idea he's ever had:

"_Chatting much_?" She repeats his words before getting to the point. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing." He shrugs, his voice is raised slightly, seemingly in annoyance. "I just want to talk about something that isn't to do with miraculouses or Gabriel or-..." His voice trails off for a few moments. "I just want to talk about nothing."

The request would seem to make no sense, to be a contradiction in terms. Perhaps that's why he feels so awkward, balancing in such a fashion to try and distract himself from the strange situation he finds himself in. He doesn't dare to look at her for a moment, instead glancing out over the city. She takes the opportunity to go back to her wardrobe and pull out a woolen shawl which wraps around her shoulders, heading towards the open window. With her left hand, she keeps it around herself whilst she grips the iron railing.

Cat Noir glances down at her through his peripheral vision. She offers him a gentle smile:

"The city looks nice tonight."

"Yeah..." Adrien swings his legs round so that they're dangling over the railing. "Shame there's no stars."

"Oh… The stars will be out." Nathalie assures the teen. "The moon is there and there aren't any clouds. There's just too much light here to see them."

"I guess that's why they call it "City of light"." Cat Noir scratches his chin pensively.

"Yeah. It took be a long time to get used to it, when I first moved out here."

He adjusts his gaze to focus on the dome of the Invalides, just visible in the distance. He's seen Nathalie's hometown, the small chalet in the middle of nowhere she was raised in. It's a world apart from the hustle and bustle that Paris has to offer. Whilst he's not sure he could ever live there permanently, he will admit that the seclusion does have some appeal to it. He'd found that the quietness had served to calm him in the weeks following Hawk Moth's defeat. The rhythm there is so much slower and more relaxed, coupled with the warmth that it had allowed him to get his ideas back in place. Again though, heading down there is almost like starting another life.

Even now, trips to the south feel almost as if he's traveling to another plane of existence.

"When are you planning on heading back down to the _cabanon_?"

"Same time as always, early July." It's been that way for the past three years now. "You thinking of tagging along?"

"Am I invited?" For the first time, he sounds a little unsure.

"As always. You know Mamita's going to be nagging me about you one way or another."

The thought of the elderly woman is enough to cause Chat Noir to snort with amusement. She's one of the few people on the planet whom Nathalie genuinely seems to have a healthy respect for, in the sense that she will tolerate being bullied by the elder. Then again, he himself knows that the grandmother approaching her nineties is a force to be reckoned with.

Silence settles in once more. The chill of the evening air is no longer the sort which stings at the eyes and numbs the face but it is still enough to send some shivers down her spine, even with her shawl. Cat Noir is oblivious to that much, his miraculous makes him immune to the effects of such a mundane temperature as the one that the city is experiencing today. He toys with some of the paint which is beginning to flake off of the balustrade.

"Mom said I could go to the party."

"You're surprised?"

"A bit… I mean, she was never too keen on me going out before." He pauses, reflecting on those times for a moment. "It was too dangerous and all that..."

"Well, you'll be eighteen soon enough and you've been out in the real world." Nathalie offers the only explanation that she can.

Adrien hums thoughtfully. He's still trying to make sense of things. That much is clear. It's an odd position he's found himself in. No doubt that's why he's come to seek her out, for some familiarity. She's getting tired and guesses that he must be as well. Hopefully, the party will act as confirmation that his life's not going to be utterly different now that his mother's back. There's a balance to be found.

Adrien isn't quite done yet. Something remains unsaid. He keeps his eyes closed, unsure just how to begin. There's clearly something that's on his mind. Nathalie is reluctant to pry. Sometimes it does some good, others it can cause the teen to clam up. He fidgets with his ring. Toying with it. Periodically, he glances at her, nervous and uncertain. After a few moments, the woman's resolve breaks and she takes a chance:

"What's on your mind?"

"You… Uh." Finally, he lets out a sigh, deciding to take the risk. "You're not feeling- I dunno, after the walk I went on with mom-"

"You need to spend time with your mother, I understand."

Is she a bit jealous? Yes, perhaps in part. There's a good deal to envy Emilie Agreste for – although, it has to be said, perhaps not the five year coma – she has a brilliant son and had a husband who was willing to do almost anything to bring her back. She's not so foolish as to resent Adrien for wanting to spend time with a woman he had assumed he would never get to talk to again. So, for the time being at least, she doesn't let it bother her. Especially not in a context where she's hardly being ignored. The woman chalks it down to some of the lad's insecurities.

He tries so hard to hold on to the past sometimes. It's a trait that he must have inherited from his father...

"Things change Adrien, you know that."

"I know." He concedes in a quiet voice. "-but not everything..."

"No… Not everything."

Everything is quiet once more. Albeit things are more comfortable.

Cat Noir kicks his legs out a few times, he relaxes. The city is growing quiet or at least as quiet as the capital ever gets. Time marches on slowly and both allow themselves to forget their doubts. Nathalie doesn't know if this little chat will have helped him in the long run. He has good days and bad ones. All it will take is a nightmare or two and all of this could be for naught but then she's learned that even just little conversations can help make things more bearable for a teen who's lived through so much.

"Come on!" She tells him after a while, checking the time. "_A__ la couchado_! You have school tomorrow!"

"'Night Nathalie."

"Goodnight."

Cat Noir leaves her a moment later. Nathalie lingers by the window only for a moment. _He'll be fine._ She tells herself. _We all will._


	16. Beginnings

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I also managed to fix the character tags, which I confess I forgot to include._**

**_/_**

Nathalie is busy working when Emilie comes into the study.

All the same, she looks up from the screen. As always, she's greeted with a warm smile. It's quite early in the morning. The sun is both up and out for once. It comes streaming in the windows. The blonde woman approaches the desk and places a couple of letters down on the surface. Nathalie's eyes skim over them quickly. Bills, product samples, the usual… There's one however that draws her attention. She recognizes the hand that wrote it, it's cursive, brown ink and addressed to "Nathalie Sancoeur and Adrien Agreste" as opposed to the company or exclusively the latter. Another letter from _Mamita_. She contemplates it for a moment, separating it from the rest of the pile.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I've got the make myself useful somehow..."

It must be frustrating for her. Nathalie's already contemplated trying to find a way to integrate the woman back into the company. She's been away for quite some time but isn't stupid. In theory, it should be relatively simple. Although that being said, she had already expressed an interest in getting back into her original line of work, that was to say acting. Give it a couple more weeks, enough time for idleness to actually become dangerous and she might gently suggest finding some form of occupation. In the meanwhile, it isn't a matter which the assistant is inclined to push too much.

Let her live her life…

The woman hovers, evidently delivering the mail isn't the only thing that's on her mind. Nathalie looks back up from the screen, silently giving permission for the other woman to go ahead and continue with whatever she came here for:

"What time did Adrien get back? He's certainly sleeping in."

"Get back?" Nathalie repeats, a little taken by surprise. "Didn't he send you a text?"

It had been Nino's party the night before. Nathalie had received a text a little after midnight confirming that Adrien wouldn't be coming home and had made other arrangements. She hopes that he was considerate enough to inform his mother of that much as well. It could have slipped his mind but she would be disappointed if he did. No, if he neglected to inform her, it was a choice. The teen isn't all that forgetful.

The expression of surprise on his parent's face confirms however that it's something that slipped her mind, not her son's. Strange as it might seem, Emilie seems to struggle a bit with the fact that she has a phone. The technology is nothing new to her but the fact that her son, who when she knew him never left the house without her, might use it to contact her seems to be something that she can't quite get her head around. The woman blushes momentarily, offering an apologetic smile. There must be a message there as her eyes move accordingly, flicking over the text.

She seems to be quite engrossed by it. Either Adrien's sent her a novel or something isn't quite right… Nathalie's about to ask when Emilie beats her to the punch:

"He's spending the night at Marinette's?" The woman looks up from the text to face the boy's other guardian.

"Yes..." Nathalie responds a little uneasy, unsure why this seems to be such an issue.

"As in sleeping over there?" Emilie's question is met with an affirmative nod. "Will there be others?"

"Other classmates?" She can't exactly say for certain but decides to answer none-the-less. "Honestly, I doubt it."

As much as this development doesn't seem to please Emilie, the other woman isn't all that inclined to try and deceive her (they have enough secrets already). She doubts that it would have been all that long before she discovered the truth at any rate. Perhaps, it was somewhat naive of her not to bring the boy's mother up to date on everything or rather suggest that Adrien did that much, after all, it was his personal life, not her own.

Like it or not however, Nathalie finds herself alone in the presence of a somewhat disgruntled Emilie. She makes no secret that this revelation doesn't sit well with her. In that respect, the woman hasn't changed all that much. It's the fallout however that the assistant isn't looking forwards to. Usually she'd had Gabriel to act as a buffer between herself and his wife if something happened to displease her. He knew how to deal with her. She's not helpless but if possible, the woman would rather not get into some manner of argument, especially not over something to do with Adrien.

"You knew about this?" The tone of Emilie's voice is growing progressively louder.

"Sometimes Adrien stays over there. Others she spends the night here." The blue eyed woman forces herself not to respond in kind, instead presenting things as a matter-of-fact. "I don't ask questions..."

"It doesn't bother you?"

Nathalie makes a mistake.

She shrugs.

She's spent the past four years with Adrien. The two of them understand one another. They're not as formal as they once were in each other's company. How could they be? Part of that is so subconscious, neither of them even think about it any more. A part of that is body language. She would never have dreamed of shrugging to her employers in the past. She would always answer plainly and clearly, maintaining a stiff formality which actually comes rather naturally to her. The teen would know exactly what she meant. The gesture was intended to signify: "it doesn't bother me, so I won't stop them".

Emilie doesn't know that. She interprets it as meaning "I don't care." A subtle difference but in the current circumstances, it can change everything.

"How long has this being going on for?" The woman raises her voice.

"I don't know exactly. A few months now..." She catches sight of the disapproving look that the woman gives her and speaks a little more firmly. "He's seventeen, Emilie."

"I was about to say the same thing! What on earth makes you think this is appropriate?"

Nathalie manages to hold back a sigh. It was inevitable that sooner or later they would end up clashing over something.

She's inclined to snap back. To remind Emilie that her son's grown into a young man. In a few more weeks, he'll be voting and a legal adult. She's not inclined to interfere in his personal life. Especially not when the girl he's dating is one he's been with for three years now and clearly loves. If he were the type to be careless and have a different partner ever other day, then perhaps things would be different. As it stands however, it seems to her to be rather innocuous. She knows for a fact that Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng don't disapprove or if they do, it's not strongly enough for them to attempt to prevent the teens from seeing one another. 

She forces herself to remain calm. There's no sense in trying to match the woman's temper or even in raising her voice. If emotions got involved then Nathalie knows that she was certain to lose. Instead, she does the only thing that she knows how and tries to reason things logically with the woman or at the very least trying to explain her thought process:

"It was going to happen sooner or later. If not with Marinette then with someone else. I thought that they didn't feel like they had to hide or keep it a secret." She hesitates for a few instants before adding in a softer voice. "It's not like they would listen."

They wouldn't listen. Of that much, Nathalie is certain. She's seen how the two are around one another. If she was to attempt to keep them apart, they would only meet in secret. That would open the floodgates as far as keeping things from one another was concerned. No. She doesn't want to go back to the days of hidden passageways and Adrien escaping through the window, rather literally. Given that it's not even a matter that she feels particularly strongly about, at least not at this age, she's made no attempt to dissuade them, other that a brief reminder about the appropriate precautions.

She's not entirely sure what Gabriel's official stance about the matter was. Adrien had mercifully been a bit too young to be getting into such situations the last time that they'd seen one another. So she's forced to base herself off of Emilie's reaction and assume that he too wouldn't have taken kindly to the relationship.

"What are you worried about Emilie?" Nathalie can't help but ask, perplexed by the mother's attitude. "You've met Marinette. She's not the type to..." The woman's voice trails off for a moment, unsure what charges could even be brought against the bakers' daughter. "-take advantage of Adrien."

"I know that!" Emilie snaps suddenly, slamming her hands down on the table and causing Nathalie to jump. "It's just… Adrien he's, he's not used to the outside world. There's a lot of ugly out there."

"Believe me. He's seen a lot more of the world since you've been asleep." The assistant pauses reflecting upon the matter. "He's not the same little boy, he once was."

Maybe he's seen a bit too much. That year he spent as Dylan was terribly formative in both the best and the worst of ways. In the space of one night, he'd gone from one of the richest teens in Paris whose face is plastered all over the city to being thrust into the life of a nobody, living in the rougher outskirts with barely two coins to rub together. He's fought his own father. It's inevitable that such trials will change someone.

Her declaration doesn't have quite the desired effect. Emilie's face clouds over abruptly, a familiar rage returning. For the first time, it registers with the woman that Nathalie is sitting in her husband's chair, behind her husband's desk… It makes the anger even harder to contain:

"What are you implying?! That I don't know what's right for him?!"

"No..." She raises her hands defensively. "Not all at! It's just- Emilie, a lot's happened-"

"Don't you "Emilie" me! I don' t know just what's happened to Adrien but all I can say is that it's most definitely not a change for the better! So you might just want to consider that before you start giving me advice."

Instinctively, Nathalie backs down both physically, lowering her head slightly and from the argument. She knows that she can't match the woman's temper and sees no point in this degenerating into a shouting match.

Perhaps sensing her victory or at the very least that her opponent has given up, Emilie straightens herself and gradually pulls away from the desk. The anger is still present behind her green orbs however and its something that she doesn't want to cross right now. Instead, she watches in silence as the other woman makes her way towards the door, she takes long and vigorous strides, a sure-fire sign that she's in a fowl mood. The sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor is one which Nathalie finds herself remembering abruptly. It was always a good sign back in the day that those not wanting trouble should make themselves scarce and avoid getting her in her way.

For some reason however, the woman pauses just before leaving the room. She lingers there for a moment before adding in a somewhat more sedate voice, although one which conceals a rage still bubbling underneath:

"I'll have a word with him."

"Emi- Mrs. Agreste, I _really_ wouldn't." Nathalie stresses, getting to her feet. Of all the things to challenge Adrien about, his relationship with his girlfriend is arguably the worst. "Adrien won't appreciate-"

"I know my own son!" She declares flatly before adding under her breath. "At least the man he should be."

She walks out a moment later, much to Nathalie's relief.

She's not necessarily all that good at confronting other on the fly, not without some clue that it might be about to happen at any rate. The unpredictable is always unwelcome simply because it was difficult to guard against. At least with people like Audrey Bourgeois it was a certainty that something was going to happen… Emilie's outburst has caught her by surprise, coming seemingly out of nowhere. As such, it leaves the woman somewhat frazzled and unsure just how to react. She sits there for a few moments lost and actively welcomes Macaroon coming in for one of his routine "_When is Adrien coming back?_" visits, rubbing the dog's head as it sits there rather placidly.

She gets a text a short while later. It's from Adrien, informing her that he's on his way home. Presumably, Emilie has received a similar one. A thought suddenly crosses her mind. The boy's never had to deal with his mother in a bad mood. In fact, he's probably blissfully unaware of the situation such as it is. It's probably best that she brief him if possible:

_OK. Need to talk. Come into the study. Quietly._

She gets a simple "Ok?" back. He must be a mixture of confused and concerned but to his credit doesn't argue.

It's hard to distract herself with work waiting for him to come home. She assumes that he'll take the metro back but can't be sure. Little noises outside distract her, cause her to look up just in case it his him. All the while, she's trying her best to think of just how to let him know about his mother's temper. Gabriel has mentioned it from time to time but then the boy currently dismisses almost everything that his father told him as being nonsense or lies. Perhaps just a little warning to be careful will suffice at the very least to let him know that Emilie might be on the warpath.

She calls Macaroon into the room. She knows that he'll go nuts and start bouncing off of the walls as soon as Adrien's at the door. Unwilling to give away his presence, she hopes that by having the dog by her side, she might actually be able to moderate his response. If nothing else, despite what she might tell his primary owner, there is something about the mutt which is soothing.

A few minutes later, her theory is tested as she hears the front door opening. It's done quietly. Adrien's a master at creeping around when he wants to. He slips into the mansion and makes a beeline for the door of the study. Nathalie somehow succeeds in holding back an overjoyed Macaroon, releasing the dog only once the door was closed and they were alone. He greets the boy as if they were torn apart centuries ago, almost knocking him over in the process. She gives the teen some time to calm his pet and more importantly quieten him.

The young man offers her a somewhat tired smile. He's a bit on the scruffier side this morning, having evidently failed to shave or shower before returning home. The hood of his sweatshirt raised over his head serves to conceal some of his identity from the outside world.

"Man, what's the matter?" He has the good sense to keep his voice quiet.

"It's your mother…" Nathalie wonders just where to begin. "She's not best pleased that you decided to spend the night at Marinette's-"

"You're damned right I'm not!"

The tone is clipped but she isn't shouting. Startled both Nathalie and Adrien spin round to see the teen's mother standing in the door.

She has a face like thunder. All trace of the usual niceties and the wondrous smile have been erased. Perhaps, Nathalie realizes, there is also some pain behind her eyes. She might perceive this as a form of betrayal. Not from the older woman - if she's being honest, there was never that trust there to begin with – but her son is another kettle of fish altogether. She fixes him, as opposed to the assistant behind the desk. Adrien doesn't meet her gaze, instead fixes the ground.

After a few moments, the blonde woman steps into the room, hands hanging loosely by her sides but hands clenched firmly into fists. Not once does she look away from her son:

"I know you two are sneaking around, hiding things from me!"

"It was my idea, not his." Nathalie lowers her head, getting to her feet. "Adrien's never seen you upset. I just wanted to warn him."

"Mom..." Adrien's blushing, evidently embarrassed. "It's nothing, really. I mean… Marinette and I, we're _careful_."

He turns to Nathalie, giving her a discrete glance. She can tell that he's confused. Awkwardly and timidly, he seeks some reassurance, assuming incorrectly that she's the one to give it to him. In fact, the woman is as awkward standing there as he is. She doubts that the teen's assurances will be enough to calm his mother. Instead, silently she seeks some alternative. A way out for all three parties before things turn nasty.

The woman's gaze rests firmly on her son. He squirms somewhat uneasily beneath it, averting his gaze. The young man is silent, fixing only his feet. When Emilie speaks to him, she isn't angry, instead, she adopts a soft and caring tone:

"Well, that shows some maturity on your part but Adrien, honey, this has to stop. It's not proper… Just imagine what the press would say if they got wind of it."

Adrien seems to think about the matter for a few moments. Nathalie bites her lower lip. She's torn. There's a part of her which wants to interject and come to the young man's defense. On the other hand, she's acutely aware that at his age, he needs to be standing on his own two feet and looking out for himself. If he's going to have to make his own way in the world one day, he can't always be looking to her to fight his battles for him. She steps back metaphorically, only for a few moments, giving the teen the opportunity to stand up to his mother. Something in truth, he has yet to do.

He frowns, eventually gathering enough wits and courage to open his mouth. It's clear that he's about to protest. He barely gets a syllable out before Emilie cuts in:

"Just think about poor Marinette… Imagine if they start hounding her too."

For Nathalie, it's a step too far. All of this is based on hypothesis with very little to back them up. She knows Emilie well enough to be aware that she isn't quite as innocent as she seems. She may very well like Marinette but right now, the girl is a means to an end. She'll use the bond that she knows exists between her son and the young woman, relying on how much he cares for her, to get what she wants.

She's about ready to interject and call a foul, taking a step forwards when Adrien abruptly stops her. He reaches out and takes a hold of her arm. His grip is gentle but firm.

"It's okay, Nathalie..." He speaks softly. "Mom's right."

He's defeated, crestfallen but all the same offers her a watery smile. In those few moments, she reminds Nathalie of the boy she knew under Gabriel's care. She doesn't doubt that he intends to do exactly as his mother tells him. Whilst she might want to say something, ultimately she bites her tongue and nods in agreement. There will be room to discuss this at a later date, when tempers have died down. Adrien is relatively quick to excuse himself. Leaving his guardian comparatively confused by his behavior.

She glances towards Emilie, Nathalie herself feels a little lost.

"Don't you worry Nathalie..." The blonde woman tells her after a moment. "He'll be back on track in no time."

"Whose track?" The woman asks folding her arms across her chest and raising an eyebrow dubiously. "His or yours?"

"The best one..."

She says nothing else, leaving to the room to go and attend to whatever business keeps Emilie Agreste occupied on a daily basis. Nathalie's gaze follows and a distinct sense of uneasy déjà vu takes hold of her.


	17. Relapse

**_Author's note: Thanks for the review!_**

**_/_**

Marinette is easy to talk to. She's just someone who inspires confidence and radiates warmth. If anything, there's a danger of excess confiding in the girl. As such, Adrien's heart is surprisingly light as he approaches her a few days later. She greets him as she always does, with a wonderful smile and a gentle kiss on the lips. He feels himself breathing just that little bit easier.

If it's Adrien and Marinette who meet up, it's Cat Noir and Ladybug who settle on a rooftop. The sun is out and heats the tin roofs of the building. The golden haired teen lies there, his head resting on his companion's lap, allowing her to run a hand through his locks mindlessly. The girl watches the city. It's all quiet, just the way that both of them like it. The local authorities can deal with most of the smaller stuff, so there's no need for Paris' heroes to get involved. He even drifts off for a few moments, feeling as safe as he is comfortable.

His girlfriend isn't particularly inclined to disturb him, figuring that if anything particular is on his mind, he'll mention it.

Up here though, he doesn't want to think about anything. He just wants to be content and he is. He doesn't need anything. There's nobody to bother or pester him. He feels loved. From time to time, they might engage in some idle chatter about classmates or their future. The end of year exams are drawing ever closer after all. Adrien doesn't particularly want to think about them either though, not right now. Instead, he stretches out and lets out a gentle sigh:

"I could spend forever up here." He declares eyes shut still basking in the sun.

"You'd get hungry." Ladybug chuckles with amusement. "I give it until sundown before you were looking for a macaroon."

"Well, your bakery's not far." He can't quite remember. It's surprisingly easily to loose track of just where they are up here but it's a few blocks at most.

"Is that some kind of a hint?"

He opens one eye to look up at her. She meets him with a coy, if slightly teasing smile. As comfortable as the tin roof is, he's rather tempted to take her up on the offer.

A conversation from a few days ago comes back to mind and he hesitates. There are two options open to him: obedience and honesty or freedom and trickery. Naturally, Plagg has been pushing him for the latter. He's Cat Noir, he can sneak out if he wants to easily. All he needs is an open window. There are many in the mansion. He can do whatever he likes behind the mask, only three people will ever know it's him and more importantly, not the one that counts.

"It's not like she'd ever know." His kwami reminds him, floating nearby. "You're not some dog on a leash."

"She just freaked out Plagg." Adrien reminds his partner, engaging in a playful tug of war with Macaroon for an old piece of rope. "It happens."

"So, you're going to give up on Marinette just because your mother asked you to?!" Plagg is as incredulous as he is appalled.

"Of course not!" Adrien snaps back defensively, the very notion is insulting. "She just said that I couldn't spend the night round there, that's all."

"It starts small..." Is all the kwami has to say before returning to the seemingly far more interesting Camembert.

Plagg is a troublemaker. It's in his blood, his very being. He's the kwami of destruction after all. As such, Adrien is more inclined to ignore what he has to say about the subject.

He reasons that it's just another thing that came as a shock to the woman. She's got a lot to get used to. The fact that he's got a serious girlfriend is just another one such thing. In a month or so, maybe after his birthday, he'll bring the subject up once more and talk about when he's certain that the woman has a cool head. In the time being, he'll just have to be a little less intimate with Marinette. He's confident that she'll understand:

"Can't. Mom's not too keen on the idea..."

"Oh, okay… Hang on." It's not quite a double-take so much as an entirely new evaluation of the situation that the girl gradually partakes in. "Wait. What?!"

"When I came back from our place on Sunday, mom, she wasn't all that happy." Adrien recalls averting his gaze for a moment. "I think she'd been arguing with Nathalie about it and I don't want them fighting."

Marinette stares at him. Her concern is clear and to what he knows will be his shame later on, he turns away in an attempt to perhaps not ignore her but at the very least silently inform the teen that he doesn't want to go down this path.

It would seem that talking about his troubles only seems to make them worse. It drags up unpleasant memories, forces him to confront truths he would rather remain buried. In response, the tenderness ceases, it's Marinette's way of letting him know that she's expecting answers. He lets out a sigh but sits up, swinging his legs round so that they dangle next to hers. His shoulders are heavy again. He lets out a sigh, unsure where to begin.

"What's it to her what we do? It's our lives!"

"She's just a little overprotective, that's all… It's a lot to get through her head." Adrien struggles to find the right words to explain it. "Me and Nathalie… We're still going behind her back a lot, so… She's bound to get worked up. I know I would."

"Yeah but… I'm not sure she has a right to-" Marinette shakes her head suddenly, growing somewhat irritated. "You wouldn't take it from Nathalie."

"Nathalie would never ask me to-"

"Exactly."

Adrien averts his gaze once more. Over the years, Nathalie's been surprisingly lenient. More often that not, she lets him do what he wants. They've only ever clashed on a handful occasions and never over anything serious. She keeps out of his relationship with Marinette. He's been warned that she doesn't want to find herself babysitting for a good few years yet but asides from that, either the woman doesn't care or more likely she actually trusts him. He's grown somewhat accustomed to the freedom, almost forgetting what his life used to be like.

His mother's different, she's much more inclined to become invested in what he's doing for better and for worse. He likes the way that she takes an interest in where he is and who he's with, she actually memorizes their names which is more than his father tended to do. On the other hand, there is a slight fear in the back of his mind that every time something bothers her, she's going to try and ensure that it's rectified.

Marinette seems to sense how things are troubling him, she places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes slightly:

"Adrien, you can't let things go back to how they were." Her resolve is firm, the tone leaves no room for debate. "It'll kill you."

"I know that..." The teen's voice trails off. "It's just- I lost her Ladybug, now I've got her back. I'm afraid I'm going to make some sort of _cagade_. I can't lose her again..."

His companion doesn't say anything. Instead, she rests her head against his shoulder. He hesitates a few moments before leaning against her himself, taking some comfort from her presence. The city is beautiful. His heart feels heavy however and no matter how much warmth comes from Marinette, it isn't quite enough to fill the hole and to drown out the doubt which has settled inside of him. She can sense that sometimes. It's as if she can tune in to whatever frequency he operates on and realize just what's on his mind.

"Whatever happens Kitty, you know I'm here for you. Just… Don't let things go too far."


	18. Behind closed doors

**_Author's note: Thanks once more for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

As it turns out, there are a few things that his mother truly doesn't approve of. Swearing is one of them, although to be fair, Nathalie isn't overly fond of it either. He finds himself watching his tongue. He's borrowed some southern slang from his time as Dylan and his trips down south. It sounds strange to his mother. More than once, she's given him a somewhat baffled look and he's been forced to explain himself. He had a friend from the south. That's where he picked it up from. Yet another in a seemingly never ending stack of lies.

Adrien can bear the restrictions. They're only minor. The lies however…

His mother isn't stupid. She knows that something's up. He sees it in the way that she looks sometimes at the few scars of his he fails to conceal. She knows those weren't from a rock climbing accident, they just don't look right. Some of their tales don't quite add up right. It's clear that something's happened and yet they keep on trying to pull wool over her eyes. She's both increasingly immune and resisting ever more. It's a stress that he could do without.

He has a nightmare that night. A bad one… It sends him quivering and confused out onto the landing. Time loses its meaning. He sits there, peering at the moon as it's silvery light comes in through the glass. There's a certain beauty to it which both registers and doesn't with him. He wants to reach out his hand and touch those moonbeams. He's too tired, too weak. His hand moves lost in the air and he can't understand just why. He's struggling to tear his mind out of whatever place it goes to when he dreams.

The teen grunts, tensing up with surprise as something woolen falls over his shoulders. He looks round, still not quite awake and finds that he isn't alone. He offers the newcomer a slight smile but can't pull himself together to do anything else. She settles next to him, waiting for him to return and for the world to begin to feel real once more.

If she's here then he must have been sitting like this for a while, otherwise Plagg wouldn't have gone to fetch the woman. She rests a hand on his back before letting out a tut his shirt and hair are drenched with sweat. It isn't the first time. A few years ago, she might have assumed that he had been taken ill and try taking him to hospital, now though, it's just one of the numerous things that the woman and kwami have learned to live with. Plagg settles on his shoulder, being quiet for once in his life.

Gradually, he feels himself returning to his body. It's a strange sensation but one which leaves him lost. As he becomes aware that the room is chilly, he grows confused. That's when the company becomes essential. He reaches out, desperate for some physical contact. He needs to be reminded what's real and what isn't. He takes his hand, squeezing it slightly. It serves as an anchor of sorts as he finds himself breathing rapidly, struggling to calm himself.

Slowly, he begins to calm, down panting as everything falls back into place. Nathalie remains by his side, patient as ever:

"Grand Palais?" She guesses.

"I-It- It feels so real!" He stresses to the woman, he's told her before. "It's like I'm being crushed all over again. I can feel the metal digging into me. It even hurts! I-I wake up but I-I"

"Adrien." Nathalie speaks softly but firmly. "You're safe now. It's in the past."

He looks away, unwilling to let her see the tears behind his eyes. It's impossible to describe the terror that those simple nightmares bring him. He knows that he shouldn't afraid and yet- No matter how hard he tries, no matter what logic he applies to justify them, they remain oppressively real to him. He feels silly. There's a part of him which reasons that it's childish for him to be so affected by what art, in essence just dreams and memories. Past the age of about ten, his father had always pushed him away, telling him to get back to bed.

Nathalie is gentler with him. He wonders if she can understand or relate. Much of the Grand Palais has been wiped from her mind. She knows only what he's told her and experiencing something secondhand is never quite the same. In that respect, she's grateful for the damage that the peacock miraculous inflicted upon her. Still, he wonders if sometimes she might have nightmares of her own. The same way that he remembers what it was like to almost lose her. Somewhat ashamed, he's hesitant to approach her for the comfort that he needs, trying to console himself with Plagg's presence on his shoulder.

She's not the most tactile of people and even after all these years, there's a barrier there that she rarely breaches. If he wants something like a hug or a show of affection, usually he has to be the one to seek it out. He contents himself with her hand. She rubs his knuckles with her thumb, trying to ease him somewhat.

Slowly, his heart begins to slow. He feels himself fall back into place, one piece at a time. He closes his eyes, now his growing sense of exhaustion reminds him that he should be in bed. Still, now that Nathalie's here with him, he has something to ask:

"Can we talk? Tomorrow, I mean?"

"Of course..." She speaks softly but with a slight hint of concern which she makes no attempt to mask.

"I- It's nothing big, I just… There's something I want to talk to you about."

She nods understandingly. She'll meet him after school. They can walk back home together. It's easier than trying to sneak around inside of the mansion.

He's back in bed a short while later but still struggles to find sleep even with Plagg on the pillow next to him and Macaroon curled up somewhere on his legs, he feels restless. Some of it's the nightmare. Even with his eyes closed, warm and comfortable in his bed, he feels like he's back on the hard floor, unable to breathe with metal and glass cutting into his back, arms and legs, tearing at his skin. It still feels unbearably real. There are other things too, fears and doubts which spin around in his mind, tormenting him.

Exhausted, he's not exactly in good shape in school. He's learned to fight it. To force himself to concentrate and stay both awake and aware. Even in class however, his attention is elsewhere. He thinks about his mother, about Nathalie and about the terrible things that have happened. They haunt him day and night and somehow, all of this pretending that they never happened in order to keep his parent's conscience light is only making things worse. They're bottling up an issue and he's not too sure that he can handle the ever-mounting pressure.

Even Marinette isn't quite enough to settle his nerves. Plagg's attempts bounce off of him.

Upon seeing Nathalie waiting for him on the corner near to his high school, he feels himself relax somewhat, if only because the wait is over, he can finally say what's on his mind. After some formalities which are as familiar as they are pointless. It's inevitable that the woman notices the dark circles under his eyes. They are a source of concern for her and one which she doesn't hesitate to bring up:

"How many hours did you get last night?"

"Not enough." He doesn't even bother hiding the truth from her.

"I can see that..." Her voice trails off and he knows what's coming. "There are doctors you know. They might be able to-"

"Like they could help! I'd have to tell them about Hawk Moth, the Grand Palais… You…" He shakes his head dismissively. "They'll get better eventually."

Nathalie doesn't reply. It's been three years now and she knows what will happen if she pushes him. So she holds back.

They cross the road, getting to a somewhat quieter part of the city. Given how much this has been eating at him all day and arguably for a bit longer, Adrien is surprised by how difficult he finds it to articulate just what's on his mind. More than once, he opens his mouth but then thinks better of it. He's convinced that there's a better way to express himself but upon mature reflection is unable to think of just what it is. Nathalie's gaze is fixed on him through her peripheral vision, she knows that he has something to say but waits in silence. She's done a lot of it in her time.

Curiously, the end result is that the words simply blurt out, almost as if he's out of control:

"I think we have to come clean with mom." He speaks quickly, almost spitting it out. "Things are getting out of hand..."

He doesn't get an immediate response. It's a sure sign that Nathalie is reflecting upon the matter. In his mind, that's both good and bad. She hasn't immediately dismissed it. That means there's at least some food for thought there. On the other hand, the fact that she doesn't immediately agree indicates that she's aware that there are some complexities and other factors. She's a woman who doesn't like to go over things a hundred times, if at all possible, his health being one of the few exceptions.

He knows it's not that simple. They have their secret identities to take into account and he knows that the others are worried about just what Emilie was doing with the peacock miraculous to put herself into the coma in the first place. There's an injustice, a bitter taste at the back of his mouth every time that he tells a lie however, which is beginning to weigh heavily upon his shoulders. She isn't stupid. She must know that they're keeping secrets from her and it must hurt.

Nathalie must ponder the matter for a good two minutes before finally giving her response:

"She is getting suspicious, which I suppose is inevitable but Adrien you know we can't tell her everything..."

"Yeah but Gabriel. She deserves to know about him." Adrien paused frowning as he thought back to his father. "It would explain a lot."

So much of this was his father's fault. His misuse of the Butterfly miraculous and time as Hawk Moth casts a terrible shadow over all of them. If he had just come clean instead of embarking on that insane crusade of his… Adrien shakes his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts and back into reality. Now is not the time to start thinking about such things. What counts is the fact that they're tiptoeing around to keep his identity a secret. They're still trying to pretend that nothing is wrong when the simple fact is that he is the source of almost all of their hardships.

Next to him, Nathalie shifts somewhat uneasily. She seems uncomfortable, Adrien can tell that much and it worries him. He far prefers it when she knows what to do – even if deep down, he's aware that she doesn't and she's just giving off the impression of being both in control and of having a plan. Finally, she expresses her concerns to him:

"Have you spoken to Marinette or Master Fu about this?"

"Marinette, yes but not Master Fu." Adrien grows quiet, his girlfriend had been lukewarm about the idea as well. "She thinks I should do what's right."

"Adrien… I'm sorry I'm going to have to being a bit forthright-" He winces, aware that she only speaks like that when she's about to risk hurting him. "-but has your mother put you up to this?"

At the very least Nathalie is frank with her concerns. He suspects that Marinette has them as well but she's unwilling to express them in front of him.

Adrien hesitates a moment, he's determined to give an honest answer. Whilst his first instinct might be to scream "no!" and deny it, he makes the effort of asking himself, looking back and trying objectively to establish if he might be being swayed. It seems abhorrent to him that his mother could ever use him like that. That had been his father's trick. He knows that his mother wants the truth. It's their main obstacle at the moment. How can they even attempt to live together if they're hiding things from one another?

If she gets it, even not entirely in its integrity, she'll be happy. They'll all be able to rest easier. Won't they?

"No." Adrien shakes his head to enforce his certainty. "I swear _Man_. She hasn't. This is all me."

Nathalie eyes him for a few moments before looking away. She says nothing, processing everything in silence. He knows better than to interrupt her. There's a grave expression on the woman's face. It's obvious to anyone who's spent any time with her that she isn't entirely comfortable with this development. Adrien doesn't want to know _why_.

Finally, she lets out a sigh. Perhaps he's thrust this on her shoulders a little too suddenly. A warning most certainly won't have gone amiss. At the very least, it would have presented her with a little more time to prepare herself:

"Okay but promise me, under no circumstances will you reveal your identity to her."

"I won't."

"Then I guess we'd better discuss how we're going to do this."

They both agree that ironically, it might be that the simplest option is the best: just flat out tell her. She'll probably be at home. Whilst the woman might be making increasingly more journeys outside and for a little bit longer every time, she still spends large portions of her days inside the mansion. More importantly, she doesn't have a social calendar and is therefore, by default, almost always available. They'll sit her down and have a chat, take the time that they need.

It'll be a shock. Adrien knows that much. She keeps on asking after his father. He's not sure that he has the heart to tell her what the man became to bring her back.

There's a certain apprehension which takes over him. It's Nathalie who ends up opening the door to the mansion, gesturing for him to go in. His mother isn't there to greet them which in itself is odd. Perhaps she's out. More likely she's in one of the other rooms and hasn't noticed that they've returned. The woman glances around briefly before turning back to him. Perhaps she can sense his nerves, as she suggests:

"You might want to take Macaroon for a walk first. He's not been out of your room since lunch..."

"Right." He replies quietly.

A walk will do him some good. He'll be able to gather his thoughts together and make some sense of what's to come. Just as he's about to do that, there's a creek and the door to the study is opened. It's his mother, she meets them with a beaming smile. He forces himself to respond in kind, even if his heart isn't quite in it. Rather than coming out to greet him however, she lingers for a moment, one hand still on the door, keeping it half shut.

There's a glint in her eye and true excitement about her. The two newcomers exchange an uncertain glance. No doubt they would have asked her just what had happened to put her in such a mood, when she beat them to the punch:

"Adrien, you'll never guess! I have a surprise for you!"

"A surprise?" The teen questions, almost amused. "Mom what could you-?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

She steps to one side and they realize that she isn't alone. There's a tall figure standing behind her. He seems to linger there as the woman pushes the doors open in a somewhat theatrical manner. No doubt this was planned. Perhaps for quite some time. She doesn't take her eyes off of her son and the assistant as they linger in the entrance, somewhat confused but increasingly dumbstruck. Standing there, wearing an uncharacteristically gentle smile, is a man who hasn't set foot in his own house in three years.

Gabriel Agreste has only a few words for them.

"Hello son."


	19. Face to face

**_Author's note: Thanks for all of your reviews!_**

**_/_**

Adrien stares wide-eyed at his father.

The man hasn't changed much. He stands there in his suit, dressed and groomed impeccably. He's handsome standing next to beautiful Emilie who loops her arm through his and rests her head against his chest. He's taller than his wife, taller than Nathalie, able to look his son in the eye. So why doesn't he pick up on the fear and terror lingering behind them? Instead, the man just smiles gently, as if he was expecting some sort of a warm welcome.

In those few moments, all he can hear is his own heart pounding in his chest. It drowns everything else out. Half of the world around him begins to fade, it leaves him just fixing his father. His smile has vanished, perhaps aware that something's not quite right.

He's no longer standing in the entrance. Instead, he finds himself thrown back into the Grand Palais. Trapped under the rubble, it's Hawk Moth who stands there, triumphant as he steals Marinette away. There's that unbearable weight on his back, crushing him and his lungs can't quite fill themselves, no matter how hard he tries. His skin burns as it's cut into by pieces of debris but worst of all his shoulder feels as if it's on fire. He would scream if only his chest would allow him to take in the oxygen.

Locked in place, he's powerless to prevent the terror from taking over. It seeps into every pore of his body. Causing his muscles to shake. Even his jaw trembles as the color drains from his face. It's a sensation he's experienced before but never quite this severely. Faced with his father, sweat pouring down his body. He wants nothing more than to scream, to hide. For a few moments, he actually thinks that he might be about to die. The sensation which grips his chest, tightening it and his throat so that he can no longer breathe is enough to send him crashing to his knees.

Somewhere along the line, he can hear voices but is unable to make out just what they're saying. He can feel the cool of the marble floor against his still shivering body. It's almost soothing. Trapped somewhere else, filled with panic. Time loses its meaning. His heart continues to thunder.

He closes his eyes and prays for it all to end, convinced that this will be the death of him.

It's a while later. He doesn't know how long that the shouting begins to make sense once more. At the very least, he can understand the words:

"Gabriel, I'm telling you stay back!"

"Someone's got to call a doctor!"

"He'll be fine… Just give him a moment..."

Very gradually, he can feel his heart begin to slow. There's a certain exhaustion that takes over him. As his senses begin to return, he feels compelled to try and get back up. The first time, there's someone there to gently discourage him from doing so, pushing his head back down. The second however, he's a bit more successful. Slowly, he's able to sit back up. A pair of hands support his back as settles, struggling to make sense of the world.

He's confused and can't quite remember where he is. There's a woman next to him. For a few moments, he just fixes her. Adrien knows her name. She means a great deal to him. Just what said name is though, he can't recall. She's a comfort however and he uses her to drag himself out of the stupor and terror which had engulfed him. His head is spinning as he turns his attention elsewhere, to the other people in the room. His gaze drifts.

The concerned and somewhat frightened blonde woman has a name: mother and the man to her left is dread.

It gives Adrien a second wind of sorts. This time, it's the flight instinct that takes a hold of him. He staggers backwards. His feet slide on the cold and hard floor, unable to get the traction that he needs. His legs are still a little heavy from having collapsed not all that long ago. It only makes the panic worse as he feels trapped. The woman next to him backs away slightly as he begins to flail around, increasingly desperate.

He has to get out of here. He can't breathe.

Eventually, he manages to get to his feet and reach the door. He swings it open. It collides roughly with something but he forces it anyway. He makes it outside, into the fresh air. A single breath of which is enough to power him on. He doesn't know just where he's going. It doesn't matter. All he knows is that he needs to escape.

Nathalie picks herself up from the floor rather unceremoniously. Her left forearm hurts. She tries not to pay it any attention, deciding not to examine it in front of the couple. Emilie is half way out the door, she's desperately crying out after her son. She's close to giving chase but Adrien takes long strides and is already quite far away. Groaning with discomfort, she brushes herself off. There's no dirt there, it's just something that she does to give her a few more seconds to gather her thoughts together.

"Don't!" The woman grumbles seeing that Emilie's about to go out hunting for the lad. "He'll come back eventually."

She's seething with anger. It's not so much directed at Emilie. For the time being, all things taken into account, she's going to have to give the woman the benefit of the doubt and assume that she genuinely didn't know. Gabriel however is another kettle of fish. Whilst the man might stand there, rigid, truly shocked by what he's just seen, he is far from innocent. It reminds her of the way that would create an akuma and then suddenly be surprised if his son ended up in the firing line. She grits her teeth and forces herself not to tear into the man.

She wants to call him cruel, selfish. To highlight how this is anything but productive and risks damaging his son beyond repair.

Emilie however has a different bone to chew. She leaves the door open, storming over towards the two of them, a face like thunder: 

"This has happened before?!"

How to answer that? She could lie and claim that she's never seen the likes before in her life but then she's already more or less confirmed that she has by giving them instructions. The truth is that she's never seen him collapse like that, at least not without giving a fair amount more warning. It's just the shock. Had he been able to prepare himself, have some warning that his father would be waiting for him, then she feels that things would have been different. He could have braced himself.

Emilie has no qualms about getting into the personal space which the assistant generally holds so dear. She barges over to the woman. The look on her face is clearly that of a mother who thinks that her child has somehow been harmed. Gabriel stands back, perhaps preferring to allow the two women to sort of their differences in the hopes that he'll get off the hook or at the very least be spared some of the fallout. It's with a finger thrust into her face that she's informed that she's being held accountable for all of this:

"What has happened to my son?!"

"Ask your husband." Voice a little lower than normal, Nathalie struggles to retain a cool and level head.

"I'll get to that in a minute." Emilie turns to her husband, glaring daggers at him. "-but _you_, you've been keeping things from me for weeks now! What's wrong with him?!"

Nathalie shies away. She both loves and hates it when Adrien's right. It would seem that keeping Emilie in the dark about so much has finally come back to bite them.

For all that, the woman remains reticent. Things would be different if the young man were actually here wit her. As it stands, she's reluctant to discuss his private life – especially that side of things – even with his parents. She's not without being aware that its a painfully sensitive subject and one which he barely even speaks to her - someone who lives with him and is witness to many of his outbursts - about. So Gabriel and Emilie, especially given the former's role in half of the lad's issues, are not the people that she's the most inclined to start sharing things with, not without Adrien's permission at least.

Emilie takes yet another step towards her. The lack of response isn't pleasing her or helping with her temper, that much is clear. Nathalie averts her gaze, rubbing her painful forearm. She can already tell that this is going to end in an argument.

"He's sensitive..." She knows it's an unsatisfactory response before she's even uttered it.

"Is that what the doctor says?" Emile raises an eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip.

"He hasn't been." Nathalie responds in a level voice.

"What?!"

Given that the word had practically been screamed by the woman, Nathalie expects this to be the beginning of one of the fights that she'd very occasionally heard her have with her husband. Those could be as loud as they were seemingly violent in their intensity. She braces herself. As the assistant, she'd never really been on the wrong end of Emilie back in the day, there had been no cause. At most, she'd had to put up with the woman's ill-humor before and after the event. Now, she thinks she might not only be the target of the rage but also it's source. Neither of which are desirable situations to find one's self in.

It would be foolish to hope for Gabriel's assistance. The man is keeping well out of the way of this particular hurricane. For a few moments, Nathalie finds herself struggling to avoid squirming uncomfortably under the other woman's burning gaze. To her surprise however, after a few moments, Emilie looks away, lowering her gaze to the ground. When she does finally speak, it's in a low but none-the-less angry voice:

"Then you say that you have his best interests at heart."

There's a certain amount of disgust behind her tone which the woman doesn't even attempt to conceal. Nathalie doesn't respond, focusing elsewhere, on the floor to be specific. She tries to reason to herself that her silence is simply because she doesn't want to argue and provoke Emilie any further than she has done already. Emotions are running way to high for her to be comfortable.

In truth however, there's a terrible feeling at the bottom of her stomach. It's partner in crime is a little voice somewhere in the back of her head that whispers that Emilie is right. She's known that Adrien isn't quite right for a long time now. She sits with him, listens if he wants to talk and if he needs it, will take his hand. It's been three years now however and she's acutely aware that despite what the teen claims, the situation is not getting any better. The guilt and shame are two things that she's not willing to face, not here and certainly not right now.

Her attention turns towards Gabriel, desperate to shift at least some of the blame for this off of herself:

"This is why I told you never to turn up like this!"

"How was I to know that he would-" The man pauses unable to find the words to describe what he'd witnessed and simply gesturing towards the spot where it had happened instead. "-whatever that was?!"

"Oh what did you think was going to happen?!" Nathalie snaps raising her voice.

"I didn't know."

Gabriel is dismissive about the matter. Clearly, he doesn't feel that any of this is his fault. He's adopted the same cold attitude that he usually wore about the house and which Nathalie had hoped that he might actually have abandoned since his exile. Somehow, it only manages to exasperate things as far as she's concerned. At the very least, he could shoulder some of the blame, accept that he'd played a role in what's befallen his son:

"Didn't know or didn't care?!" The assistant challenges, gritting her teeth.

"Enough!"

Emilie snaps loudly taking one last step forwards. Nathalie finds herself trapped between the couple. Suddenly, Adrien's flight technique is as understandable as it is appealing.

Thankfully, Gabriel's attention is now elsewhere, resting firmly on his wife. He's weary of her if nothing else, having been on the wrong end of a tongue lashing from his spouse on more than one occasion. She has a face like thunder and is clearly at the end of her rope. Any notions either of them might have had about arguing are quickly smashed in favor of remaining silent in the hopes that it might be enough to protect them for a while.

"You're both to blame! Gabriel, you're an idiot and you-" She points her finger right at Nathalie's chest. "You're not, which in my books makes you actually worse!"

Nathalie averts her gaze. She won't argue that she's entirely guiltless. That would be a lie. Although right now, she's not entirely sure just what she's being accused of: failing to get the appropriate help for the woman's son or for keeping things from her. Likely both. Usually, she would have put up some front of some kind. Right now, she's too tired to deal with any of this. She glances towards the door, hoping that Adrien will come back sooner rather than later.

Still on the warpath, Emilie opens her mouth. Clearly she has more say, something else seems to attract her attention however, stopping her dead. It takes Nathalie a few moments to realize that it's her that's being eyes or rather her arm:

"Nathalie you're bleeding." The woman informs her.

The woman glances down. Sure enough there's a little stream of red making its way down her left hand, somehow it hadn't even registered. A few specks of it have already hit the floor. Coolly, the woman pulls up her sleeve. Sure enough, there's a cut on the back of her forearm. The skin is red there and lets her know that she'll have a painful bruise come the morning. Thankfully, the wound itself is not all that deep and the worst it's done is to stain her jacket.

She lets out a frustrated sigh, displeased that they were the ones to point it out to her. Nowadays, when she licks her wounds, she'd much rather do so in private: 

"Must have been the door." The woman mutters under her breath. "Excuse me."

At least, it offers her a means to escape.

Without saying another word, she makes her way upstairs. In so far as Gabriel's lies are concerned, if he's told any it's already too late. Although Emilie's seeming confusion gives her some hope that the man hasn't been able to muddy the waters too much. At any rate, when Adrien returns and has calmed down, they're going to have to give her their side of the story and hope that it's enough to convince the woman.

She goes through the motions of her head as she washes out the injury in the ensuite bathroom connected to her bedroom. The wound stings a bit as she washes away the blood and applies some antiseptic to it. Gritting her teeth, the woman resolves to bear it. A bandaid should solve the problem. She knows exactly how she got it, it was Adrien. In his desperation to escape, he'd torn the door open. His panic he'd forgotten, not taken into account or not realized (it doesn't really matter) where she was. She'd raised her arm to protect herself and taken the brunt of the blow. As she puts away the little first aid kit that she keeps in her bathroom cabinet, the woman's eyes spot something in the mirror standing in the doorway.

The anger has vanished from Emilie's face, replaced instead with a genuine look of concern.

"Does this happen often?" She asks quietly.

"It's not the first time." Is all Nathalie has to say about it.

"He-" Emilie pauses, tugging at her sleeve nervously as she searches for the appropriate words. "-seemed angry. Has- Has he ever hit you?"

Nathalie tenses up but doesn't respond. Adrien can get angry. He can fly into a rage over nothing sometimes. Tonight however, it wasn't anger so much as terror which had taken over him. Although she can understand just how his mother could have made the confusion. Tidying everything up, she turns around to give Emilie her undivided attention. Gabriel isn't here. She's grateful for that much. Whilst her reaction isn't as violent as the boy she cares for, the man's presence is equally upsetting for her.

For the time being though, she focuses her attention on his wife:

"He was just frightened."

"-And what do we do about that?"

"For tonight?" Nathalie lets out a sigh and shakes her head. "Mrs. Agreste, please, let me deal with it. He's not going to be in a state to-"

"You want me to keep Gabriel away from him? I'm guessing he was the trigger." Nathalie nods just once, surprised by the suggestion. "Okay… I want my boy to be alright."

She doesn't say anything else, drifting off in silence.

Rain comes after dark but not Adrien. Nathalie keeps to herself, eating her dinner in the teen's room. She keeps the window open, aware that it's the route that he's most likely to take to come home but as time rolls on, he's nowhere to be seen. She texts Marinette. The young woman is unaware of what's happened and hasn't seen him. Mildly worrying. At 10 o'clock, she takes an increasingly frantic Macaroon out into the garden for some exercise. With a raincoat on and her hood pulled up, she waits until he does his business. She'd like to take him for a walk but knows that he'd just drag her along the sidewalk.

She makes her way back inside. Mr. and Mrs. Agreste are nowhere to be seen and the silence leads her to believe that they could easily be asleep. She doesn't know if that means the same bedroom or if Gabriel has been relegated to the couch. At this point, the woman can't really bring herself to care.

She takes the dog upstairs and returns to her silent vigil.

As soon as she enters however, Macaroon charges off. He's bouncing up and down, excitedly greeting the young Parisien hero who stands there. Even the dog barely even registers. He's fixing dead ahead of himself, shell shocked. Drenched to the bone, he appears lost. Nathalie says nothing, handing him a towel from his drawers. He accepts it but still stands there, swaying somewhat like a tree in the wind. She gives him a few moments, whilst she goes to shut the window. There are some puddles in the boy's room.

It takes a few minutes and some coaxing before he changes back from Cat Noir to Adrien. Plagg floats near him, attempting to add some humor through complaining about the wet. It's lost on the lad. She realizes that he's not going to come back to them tonight. Exhausted, the teen promptly collapses into his bed, not even bothering to change out his clothes. She does succeed in slipping a towel down between his head and the pillows.

She tucks him in. As always, he takes to sleeping on his stomach. As the woman pulls the blanket up, his gaze flicks over to her and for the first time, there's a sparkle of recognition. It takes him a couple of goes, before finally managing to utter feebly:

"I had a nightmare..."

"I know…" She tells him softly.

He's out cold a moment later. A quick glance to Plagg and a silent request are made. The kwami nods once, promising to watch over him. Feeling exhausted herself, Nathalie slips out of the room and heads towards her own bed. Outside, the rain continues to lash against the windows. She prays he won't awaken for a good few hours yet. He needs the rest if he's to be ready for tomorrow...


	20. Ground rules

**_Author's note: Thanks for the review!_**

**_/_**

Adrien awakens groggy and confused. His head is ringing.

He's warm though and his bed is comfortable. He lies there for a few moments. He can't even pull himself together enough to process the world around him. Not that it matters. His body feels a little bit strange, out of sorts. He doesn't question it all that much, reasoning that he just needs a few moments longer to pull himself together. He groans softly and feels something shifting on the pillow next to him. It's Plagg, there is just enough concern behind those green eyes of his to trouble the human. Groaning, he makes the effort to raise his head.

It's then that he twigs that there's a towel which has been placed over the pillow. Increasingly confused, he also registers that it's day time. It seems rather bright too. Wondering just what time it is, he reaches out and checks his phone.

9.22 am.

He's late. Very late. That's two hours of class already, probably three by the time he's ready, that he's missed.

He curses loudly and jumps out of bed. It's only then that he realizes he's dressed. It's then that everything that had happened the night before comes back to him. It hits him like a freight train. His father is home. He'd ran away. His father is home. He'd been so frightened… His father is home. Lost. He needed to come home. Home is where is father is.

Legs trembling, Adrien stumbles backwards. Sitting down on his bed. Listlessly, he sits there, struggling to make sense of anything. Plagg, worried, floats over and settles down on his partner's knee. He waits for a few moments, unusually for him, he's patient. He doesn't get much of a recognition. The lost look on the teen's face is enough however to prompt the kwami to inquire quietly:

"You okay?"

"Gabriel…" Adrien mutters, broken. "He's back..."

His body feels somewhat numb and his mind can't quite process that simple fact. He can't remember all that much about last night. Terror. That's what comes back to him the most. In his mind, Gabriel Agreste and Hawk Moth twist together to form one and the same. They are two sides of the same coin. He knows that. For the life of him however, he couldn't have said which one of the two had been standing there waiting for him. At a push, he would likely have claimed that it was the supervillain who had greeted him.

He can feel his heart begin to beat that little bit faster.

Desperate to avoid another attack like the one that he had suffered last night, he goes through his phone. There are a few messages. The most recent of which is from Nathalie:

"_I called in sick for you."_

"_Thanks." _He makes the effort to respond promptly.

"_Breakfast?" _Her own reply is near instantaneous.

"_Please."_

He's not too sure that he has it in him to leave his room. Not quite just yet. So he sits there and waits. Anything to avoid facing his new reality.

There are other messages. One's from a school friend assuring him that he'll take care of the notes for the day. They receive a thanks. The rest are from Marinette. She's worried, eager to know that he's alright. Adrien sends her a few texts. They're not entirely true and that hurts him a bit but he doesn't want his girlfriend fretting about him unnecessarily. So he tells her that he's fine. It just came as a bit of a shock and he needed a breath of fresh air. That's all. She stresses to keep her updated and not to hesitate to come over if things get rough. He promises that he will but insists that everything's alright.

A few minutes later, the door is pushed open tentatively by Nathalie. She's carrying a tray. He can smell the viennoiseries and hot cocoa from here. His stomach rumbles reminding him that he skipped dinner last night. She brings it over to him, placing it on the table next to his bed. He can scarcely contain himself. Sure enough, he digs in a few moments later, abandoning all restraint. It seems to amuse the woman more than anything:

"Hungry?"

"Starved." He answers, his mouth still full of pastries.

"You had a panic attack." She informs him, just in case wasn't quite aware or had forgotten.

"I can feel it." The young man pauses a moment, contemplating the plate. "Have you eaten?"

She rolls her eyes but takes a croissant anyway. Slowly but surely, he's beginning to regain some sort of sense of himself. With it comes the realization of just what happened and what's yet to come. For starters, he doubts that he's going to be able to pretend to his mother that everything's alright anymore. That's going to inevitably lead to a thousand more questions which he's really not all that sure he can answer, at least not without any assistance. The thought is as unappealing as it is frightening.

This little meal is just a prelude. Something to help him relax, to get his strength back and hopefully to recover somewhat from last night. Although that he knows from some experience can take quite a while.

Nathalie remains quiet, unwilling to push him about the matter. He knows that it's inevitable that it will be brought up however. Blowing steadily on his cocoa, the teen ponders where even to begin. There's so much that needs to be thought about, even although they've already spent ample amounts of time discussing and preparing for this eventuality. He still feels lost, terrified by the prospect of just what's to come. There is one thing that he feels obliged to do:

"I'm sorry for last night."

"It's okay." She assures him, voice quieter than usual.

"So… Gabriel's back. That was a big of a shock." He waits a few seconds but doesn't immediately get any response. "_Man_, what are we going to do?"

He's aware that he must sound childish but the trust is that he's lost and scared. If Marinette were here, he'd turn to her as well. She isn't though. Right now, she'll be in classes, hopefully with other things on her mind. So that just leaves the three of them. Nathalie contemplates the matter in silence. They had had plans. So he's tempted to say, why change? Then again, his father's sudden arrival last night has shaken things up a fair bit. He's not the only one who was taken by surprise, as even the woman seems to be a bit lost, nibbling at her croissant but providing no answers. Thankfully, Plagg is there to push things along:

"If you ask me, this all smells like rotten cheese!"

"You don't know that." Nathalie intervenes somehow not irritated. "It's entirely possible that she just wanted to surprise you. After all… She wasn't to know."

"And now she's been here on her own for God knows how long with Gabriel!" Adrien mutters through clenched teeth, feeling a familiar anger mount inside of him. "He could have been feeding her all kinds of sh-"

"Which is why-" Nathalie cuts him off just in time. "-we need to tell her everything."

Adrien turns to face her suddenly. There are some things he isn't very comfortable discussing, even with Marinette. Nathalie knows about them purely because she's had to live with him and it's hard to conceal anything from her. The idea of openly confessing to his father that he's been hurt, suffers from panic attacks and often struggles to sleep the night through is not an appealing one. If there's one thing he's afraid to be it's weak.

His lip trembles a few times, his gaze focusing elsewhere. Telling his mother the truth is one thing but it's his father he doesn't know if he can look in the eye.

"Man… What if I- I get angry." He closes his eyes, bitter regret and shame taking hold. "Last time we met, I almost..."

"I know." She stops him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "-but I'll be there and Plagg's nearby. You're not alone."

He leans in, resting his cheek against her hand, taking comfort in her presence for a few instants. She gives him some courage and he places his trust in her. Should he need it, she can take over. Nathalie will be able to keep his demons at bay for a little while.

She leaves a few moments later. He needs some time to smarten up. His hair is a mess after he'd fallen asleep with it wet and Plagg informs him that he stinks. So a wash and a clean set of clothes won't go amiss. All the time, there's a certain feeling of dread that's in the pit of his stomach. He does his best to fight it back and ignore it. Then chooses to accept that it's there but keep it in check. He breathes deeply, convincing himself that he's going to go into battle. His small partner hides in the pocket of his sweatshirt. He slips his hand in, ensuring that he can feel the kwami at all times.

Outside, Nathalie is waiting. She offers him a gentle smile which fails to raise his spirits as much as he would like:

"You'll do fine." She assures him. "You're parents are downstairs."

It's like a trip back in time for Adrien as they set off. There he is, heading towards his father waiting for him in the study – oh and his mother. With Nathalie accompanying him, she's adopted something of a deadpan expression. It's her own personal version of warpaint. She wears it into the office from time to time. He has to repeat to himself, time and time again that things have changed. She's no longer a warden escorting him down the last mile towards his fate. The woman by his side is an ally. She cares for him, as he does for her. Plagg is here too. Marinette waits elsewhere. He'll be okay, because he isn't alone.

Sure enough, they're waiting for him. Sitting round the dinning table because it's the most convivial room that they actually have.

Adrien freezes as soon as his eyes meet those of his father. The mere sight of the man is enough to get his heart rate to speed up. For a few terrible seconds, he feels that he might be about to relapse and have another panic attack. So he forces himself to breathe, filling his lungs with oxygen to steady himself to the best of his ability. It's hard to appear confident and strong when deep inside of him, there's a fear which takes root and spreads. It threatens to either paralyze him or to cause him to flee.

He feels a little bit silly, childish as he shelters behind Nathalie. It's not like she's much of a barricade and Gabriel can most definitely still see him. Still, knowing that she's there gives him the courage that he needs to settle down at the table.

It feels as if all eyes are on him. His parents most certainly are. Whilst he knows what needs to be done, he's not sure if he's got it in him to begin. He doesn't know what sort of an effect this is going to have on his mother. The woman, as far as he's aware has been in the dark about her beloved husband's activities during the period that she was asleep for. He doesn't want to be the one to break her heart. The silence is an uncomfortable one, difficult to bear. Already stressed, he finds himself squirming uncomfortably in his chair, wishing for all of this to be over and done with.

Finally, straightening herself, it's Emilie who begins what almost feels like a trial:

"So… I think there's something you need to tell me."

"I-It's a long story." Adrien manages to get out.

"That's okay. I don't think anyone here has anything better to do." His mother replies her voice is somehow both soft and business-like at the same time.

The teen gives the woman sitting to his right a tentative glance. Nathalie responds with a very slight but none-the-less encouraging nod. So he takes and deep breath and begins.

It's the tale of his life more or less that he's telling and as he recounts it, he's aware that it sounds insane. Not all that long ago, he could have ended up in a straight jacket or at the very least in front of a medical professional for going on about magical jewelry and kwamis. Nowadays, people just seemed to accept it. They tell her about just what Hawk Moth did. About how he had become Cat Noir and the battles they have fought. That Nathalie had saved him when his father learned of his true identity, taking him someplace safe (although they chose not to specify just where their bolthole was). What Gabriel had done and how he had been exiled.

At times, Nathalie takes over if she senses that he's struggling. She fills in the details almost as if she were some manner of machine. Oh how he envies her the ability to disconnect herself from her emotions. For the longest time as a boy, he'd wondered if she even had any feelings. Now he knows that she's simply a master at concealing and controlling them. It serves her well, especially at a time like this. From time to time, she's tried to teach him how to mimic her. For the most part, he fails. Keeping up the facade is so much effort that it only makes the emotions the stronger and inevitably he's overcome both more suddenly and more violently by them.

There's a deafening silence in the pause once they're finished. Emilie doesn't look at them. Is it anger? Shame? Or does she just need some time to process everything that she's just, more or less had dumped on her.

Sitting there. Adrien finds himself shrinking away. Gabriel is strangely silent. He'd been expecting an argument. Instead, the man accepts his wrongdoings in silence. That's enough to trigger some of his son's suspicions. He finds it almost impossible to accept that he can have anything in his heart other than malice. Emilie fixes the table, she rubs the skin around her wrist listlessly. Finally, without even raising her gaze to meet them, she declares:

"Gabriel has already told me."

"Told you what?" Whilst Adrien is stunned silent, Nathalie retains her ability to speak.

"Everything that you just said. Minus a couple of deals. He told me he was Hawk Moth about five minutes after he came home."

Adrien just blinks a few times. For some reason, that simple statement just won't pass through his head. He initially assumes that he must have misheard. There is no way that Gabriel Agreste would willingly have confessed his crimes to his wife. It doesn't make any sense. If he did that then that would mean that his mother would have to- No. There's no conceivable way that she could possibly have forgiven him. Not after everything he did. Not after what he cost his son and Nathalie. Nobody could possibly-

Gabriel Agreste is a monster.

"What?!"

Why is he angry? He doesn't want to be angry.

He can't help it. As always, it comes on so suddenly with a violence that he struggles to contend with meaning that he doesn't have enough time to ready himself. In the space of a few seconds, it takes over. The rage just seeps through. It makes it past all of his defenses such as they are. He grinds his teeth in the back of his mouth, something he knows could give him a headache later on. His hands would ball into fists but they're sitting down, so instead he grips at his jeans. Being faced with his father, he can only feel the injustice and anger inside of him grow.

Today however, he turns his anger towards his mother afflicted by a sense of betrayal for which there are no words to describe:

"You knew and you let that _bordille_ stay in the house?!"

Gabriel and Emilie exchanged puzzled glances, they seem to twig that it's an insult of some kind but remain none-the-wiser as to just how severe it is, if it is at all. Next to him, Nathalie glances in his direction. She's cautious around the lad, knowing full-well, like him that it can take next to nothing for him to fly off of the handle. Plagg is also worried but dares not show himself.

He forces himself to remain as calm as possible. Breathe and all that. It's not easy when every beat of his heart sends rage pulsing through his veins. It drowns everything else out. A few years ago, Nathalie had given him some lessons or at least tried to encourage him to stem these little attacks as and when they happen. He tries to put all of that into practice but as always, it's hard to focus and come to terms with what's relative when he'd in such a state. His most basic urge is to explode and take it out on those around him.

"You know everything that he's done." Forcing himself to remain tranquil is somehow almost physically painful. "What he did to Paris… And you're forgiving him?"

It's Emilie's turn to let out a sigh. For a moment, she doesn't fix her son. Instead, focusing firmly on the space in front of her. She takes a few moments to respond. There's a sorrowful or perhaps regretful expression on her face. Adrien gives her some time, enough at any rate to get her thoughts together and answer. If he's had enough of an opportunity to at least somewhat prepare himself, he realizes, then so has she. Presumably she's thought all of this and the implications through carefully and prepared her answer accordingly.

Both the fact that she hesitates and that his father's still here confirms in his mind that he's not going to like what she has to say:

"No. Not entirely. What your father did was wrong." The woman glances up at the boy before her attention drifts back up to Gabriel. The man sits there solemnly. "But that leaves us with two options, doesn't it? Either we punish him, one way or another say by banishing him to China as you did or… We let bygones be bygones, accept what happened and try to get on with our lives."

Get on with their lives?!

The mere notion makes him want to scream. His blood boils. The anger is a madness. He knows it. In part, that's what makes it so terrible. There's some part of him which realizes just what he's doing, that he's losing control. Sometimes, it's almost too much for him. He becomes a spectator more than he is an actor. How can she expect them just to get on with their lives after everything that's happened. Nathalie brushes her fingers against his wrist, eager to try and remind him that he isn't alone and that he has to keep a level-head.

At the very least, for her, he forces himself not to shout. If he loses it here… Well, he's not too sure what might happen. He's come close to doing something terrible before.

"Getting on with our lives..." He pauses taking a deep breath. "We can't go back to being a big happy family!"

"I'm not saying that it won't take time and _effort_-" Emilie continues, doing her best to keep her voice gentle.

"I put in effort! Two years of it! One living here, the other not hauling his ass to jail when I could have!"

"Watch your language!" Gabriel raises his voice for the first time, it's an instinct.

"Shut it!"

Nathalie struggles with the urge to put her face into her hands. This is going about as well as she'd initially thought it would. Some degree of conflict is going to be inevitable. She knows that much. The issue is moderating it. It would be easily to let things slip to a point where the damage is too great to be repaired. She judges Adrien's mood cautiously. He's getting close to losing control, she can see that much. His parents, whilst she can't comment about their intentions, are blissfully unaware of how to handle him. Both sides are riling up the other.

So she does the only thing that she feels that she can do right now and intervenes:

"Adrien..." Nathalie speaks softly to him. "How about a breath of fresh air?"

He contemplates her. There's just a glint of madness behind his eyes. It fades away soon enough as he remembers just where he is and who he's with. Without saying another word, he gets to his feet and slips out of the room. His steps are loud, a clear sign that he's angry. The door slams and he's outside.

That will likely be him for the rest of the day… Nathalie thinks to herself. Still, there's nothing to be done for it. Adrien Agreste is going to be a painful neighbor to have to live with for a while. Hopefully Plagg and Marinette will be able to cheer him up or at the very least temper some of that anger. He needs some time to think and more importantly to cool off. Walking Macaroon should also help. She'll have to trust him to manage himself for a few minutes as she's not quite done yet. Some things have to be made very clear to the lad's parents.

If Gabriel is shaken, his wife seems… Well, Nathalie's never been all that good at reading her. That in itself is a worry.

"You're sending him for a time-out?" There's almost something of a mocking tone behind Emilie's voice.

"Would you rather he start throwing things at you?" Nathalie forces herself to remain deadpan serious, presenting things as a matter of fact. "If you want this to work out, you're going to have to give him some space."

"This being the doctor's opinion."

"No… This being the experience of the woman who's been caring for him these past four years." Steadily she gets to her feet. "Stay or leave, it's your choice but if you want your family back, it's going to be a very long process and it'll take work from everyone."

She spins on her heels brusquely, leaving the room and the couple with hopefully a good deal to think about. They don't call after her. There's no need for them to do so.

The ball is in their court.


	21. Small steps taken

"Dude! Heard your dad's back in town!"

Adrien spins around just in time to see his friend approaching. Nino is accompanied by his girlfriend Alya and of course, Marinette. He forces a smile. He's tired. Sleep's not come as easily as he would like. Still, he's made it to class. It's a distraction, albeit not a very effective one. His father is still at home and it doesn't matter that they've scarcely said a word to one another, his presence is enough.

They'll be just what he needs, a chance to distract himself and forget about just what's going on back home. In an odd way, it reminds him of when he was fourteen before he knew just who was hiding behind Hawk Moth's mask. Back then, he'd lived for even an hour or so with his friends. Things have changed of course. In adopting the mantle of carer and "_Man_", Nathalie had succeeded in making his home life infinitely more bearable, providing, despite her surname, a certain amount of warmth and comfort he'd found lacking since his mother had disappeared.

Now Gabriel's back and for the life of him, he doesn't know what to make of it. These past two days, he's been studiously keeping out of the man's way. Spending all of his time at home locked up in his room or sneaking out in order to walk Macaroon. He's not even told his father about the dog yet, aware that the man will disapprove and want rid of it.

In short, Adrien wants out, if only for a few minutes. His friends offer the perfect escape route. So he greats them as enthusiastically as he can. There's something about seeing him however that causes them to stop. Concern marking their features:

"Oh, Dude…" It's Nino who's the first to dare speak, addressing him in a jovial manner but one which fails to mask his worry. "You look like-"

"I know." He cuts his friend short, running a hand through his fringe to get it out of his eyes. "It's been… Complicated..."

"You two still not seeing eye to eye?" Alya successfully guesses.

"It's-" Adrien shrugs, aware of just how cliched what he's about to say will sound. "Complicated."

They don't know everything. How could they? They just think it's something to do with his father's restrictive parenting. It certainly doesn't help. The notion of having some form of leash put back on him isn't appealing in the slightest. He's fought too hard for the freedom he currently enjoys. So, the story is that they're bickering. It's neither the truth nor a lie. They're not speaking to argue and they're not speaking because deep down inside, Adrien can't even bring himself to contemplate forgiving the man.

Marinette smiles understandingly and moves forwards. She takes his arm, resting her cheek against his bicep. He smiles, appreciating the gesture. He would like a few minutes alone with her, just to talk. Things aren't quite the same over text. He still makes the effort to keep her up to date. Smiling, she takes his right hand in both of hers:

"Come on… We'll take your mind off things."

He likes the sound of that promise. It's Wednesday and that means that they've got the afternoon free. Studies are banished from their schedules as his friends make it clear that they intend to spend the next few hours together and not thinking about their own troubles. It's almost as if they're reading his mind. Maybe Marinette's had a word with them or is he just that transparent? He refuses to think about the matter any further than that. For the rest of today, he will do what he wishes he could do more often which is be a regular teenager. He'll allow himself to forget about his father, about Hawk Moth's terrible legacy and the civil war threatening to erupt back at the Agreste mansion. Right now, he's going to be a carefree buddy and a good boyfriend.

They go to the cinema and watch an adventure film. It's a bit brainless but none-the-less enjoyable. In all honesty, Adrien doesn't have eyes so much for the film as he does for Marinette. She takes the opportunity to snuggle up to him. It's a proximity they've both found themselves deprived of these past few days. It's only as she leans against him and he rests his head atop hers that he finds himself reminded just how much he's missed her. It's not staying over at her place, that he can live without. With everything that's happened, they haven't been together as much and when they have, they've inevitably found themselves discussing "business".

Not today however. Today is just for them.

They leave the theater and walk along hand-in-hand. Alya's talking about her internship. She thanks Marinette for putting in a good word with Nadia Chamack.

They head to the Trocadéro. It's reasonably quiet as most of the tourists are yet to arrive for the summer. He lies atop one of the stone balustrades, doing his best to ignore the odd and somewhat disapproving looks the police give them from time to time. They're not technically breaking the law, at least he doesn't think they are but they are slouching around on a major tourist attraction. Adrien doesn't care. He feels tired again but not quite in the same way that he has been recently. It doesn't feel as if something is physically draining him. This is as if all the sleep he's been missing has caught up with him. He acquaints it more to sleepiness than the exhaustion he's been battling with.

He manages to stay awake by listening to some of the recordings that Nino's been making lately. They've got a certain beat to them. The DJ's got skills and already has a plan about just how he's going to use them. They have so much to talk about, to share. It almost feels like they haven't been together in forever. In practice, it has only have been a few weeks since all of this kicked off.

They finish the afternoon with an ice cream from André's. The traveling merchant is near the Eiffel tower right now and they find themselves with something of a wait on their hands. He is after all, rather popular and none of them are about to complain if they end up spending just a little bit longer in one another's company. Marinette practically hasn't let go of his hand and he's all the happier for it. As they sit down, taking advantage of the slowly lengthening days and the sun which shines down just that little bit longer, Adrien makes a silent promise to himself to ensure that they never become separated, no matter what next year brings.

By a little after seven however, the group reluctantly has to agree to go their own ways. They all have class tomorrow and their families are expecting them home for dinner. Adrien sincerely thanks Alya and Nino. They've made his day, in every sense.

Marinette lingers for just a little while longer. There's a metro not too far away that will see her home soon enough and he's only got to walk a little bit down the street. Still, he's grateful for these few moments longer. Were things different, he would beg her to stay, just a bit longer. Somehow, this girl is an anchor and a sense of perspective. As long as she's here, he feels like he knows just who he is and that none of his demons can harm him.

After a reasonably substantial period of time spent mostly in silence. Marinette goes up on her tiptoes. Initially, he assumes that she's leaning into a kiss – and is only too happy to oblige. When she wraps her arms around his neck, he's a bit startled but goes through with it none-the-less pulling her in close. He forgets about everything else: the ghosts of the past, the people who surround them presently and what might be tomorrow. With a single gesture, she manages to banish all of his troubles and soothe his soul.

"Thank you." Is all that he can think to say. "I needed that."

"How many times am I going to have to tell you that we're always here for you?" She laughs burying her face in the crook of his neck.

He smiles feeling the tension in his body begin to dissipate. If he could, he'd stay like this for the next few hours, perhaps even forever… Unfortunately, he's acutely aware of time passing by. They both need to be heading home.

She pulls away and he takes the opportunity to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. The girl blushes briefly, heat rising to her cheeks. He hesitates. This is the first time she's seen him smile so sincerely and be so carefree in a while. Marinette doesn't want to unintentionally end up upsetting him or otherwise triggering an outburst of some kind. At the same time, she can see the weight of what's going on at home settled upon her boyfriend's shoulders. He isn't himself. That much is obvious.

So, just before parting, she takes a chance and ventures:

"You know it's easier when you let others in."

He doesn't reply or rather, not with words. Instead, the young man just nods a few times. Enough to let her know that he has listened to her words. He might just some time to know what, if anything, to do with them.

They part an instant later. Adrien's walk home is only a brief one. His heart draws heavier with each step. He ponders on who will be waiting for him. His mother generally makes a point of rushing to greet him upon his every return. These past few days, his father has silently accompanied her. The man watches but says nothing. If he wants Nathalie, he must seek her out. Thankfully, they seldom make any effort to follow him if he goes there. She remains a beacon of familiarity in what has abruptly become a strange and unfamiliar world.

He's been trying so hard to ignore everything else and to focus on what is comfortable to him.

It's the same old scene awaiting him when he makes his way into the mansion. He tiptoes in, shutting the door as silently as possible behind him. All the same, as if driven by some inexplicable alarm system, his mother and father materialize in front of the study. Instinctively, he finds himself eyeing that which leads to the dining room where Nathalie now spends much of her time working. Usually, he just makes a beeline for it. Today however, he finds himself abiding in the doorway for just a little longer than usual.

Despite his instincts, he glances back towards his parents, who seem all the more surprised for it. His mother however manages to get over it and asks:

"How was your day?"

"Fine..." It's a simplistic response but it's more than she usually gets.

"Have fun?"

"Yes."

"Where'd you go?"

"I was hanging out with Marinette and the others."

"Is she well?"

Adrien's gaze fixes his father more particularly as the man was the one to ask the question. There's some genuine care behind his voice. Of course… He could just be acting. For a few moments, anger boils deep down inside. It's almost impossible not to look at Gabriel's face and find himself back in that repository, staring at Marinette, forced into an eternal slumber curtsy of a good dose of sedatives and the most expensive life-support money can buy. Still, through the rage and the undeniable urge which swells up inside of him to punch the man's lights out, he manages to say just a single word:

"Yes."

That's it; all he says before retreating into the lounge. For all that, he gets a singular reward. When he enters, whilst she still looks tired. Nathalie who always seems to know just what's going on the in the house smiles at him. He's done well...


	22. What can't be taken back

**_Author's note: Once more, I'd like to thank you for the reviews._**

**_/_**

A piercing scream echoes through the Agreste mansion.

It's one of terror rather than pain and instantly recognized by the inhabitants. Nathalie sits upright in the armchair. Adrien however, remains unbothered. She turns to him. It's impossible that he hasn't heard. He's just choosing to ignore it, as he does an increasing number of things. The woman stirs however, aware that it signals the beginnings of trouble for the two of them and that she's going to need his assistance if she's going to bring things under control. Right now, he's a bit reticent to give it. Not because it's her… It's the other parties that are involved that's the problem.

To ensure that he's in a slightly better mood than he probably otherwise would be, Nathalie takes care to add somewhat bemused tone to her voice when she declares:

"Sounds like your father found the dog."

Sure enough, there's loud barking coming from the next room. She's not too sure how or when Macaroon got out but it's probably no bad thing, the dog will have been going mad by itself. She knows he's harmless and likely just playing but the mutt remains a large animal and frankly, she's not strong enough to pull him back by herself.

Despite her unspoken request, Adrien remains firmly rooted where he is, seemingly burying himself a little bit further in his book. Plagg is resting on the table nearby. He takes no interest in what his partner is reading but rather has literature of his own, a magazine specializing in cheese. Nathalie wouldn't have thought that there was such an abundance on the subject but these past few years, she's been proven wrong. When after a few more moments, he's fails to acknowledge her. The woman lets out a sigh. She moves to stand next to the couch, being so close as to look down at him and ensure that she cannot be ignored.

"Come on." Her words are spoken gently but firmly.

Reluctantly, he gets up. He doesn't need much more coaxing than that. He follows her silently. Almost as soon as they leave what has become the sanctity of the lounge, they are confronted by the issue. The door to Gabriel's study is open. That's where the barking is coming from. They approach steadily and peer inside.

Next to her, Adrien snorts, struggling to avoid bursting out with laughter. She doesn't bother to scold him, biting down on her lower lip herself to avoid any unfortunate sounds of amusement slipping out.

Gabriel stands atop his desk, attempting to find his way into the dead center so as to be as far away as possible from the dog. Macaroon doesn't understand. He thinks the strange man is playing. That much is apparent from the speed at which the animal's tail is wagging. It barks loudly, bouncing around excitedly. As the man tries his best to climb an invisible ladder in the hopes of being able to gain just another few inches between himself and the creature which assails him. Emilie is there too. She stands back however. Evidently reluctant to get anywhere near her son's dog.

Eventually, the man's eyes fall upon the new arrivals. It's with a certain tone of panicked desperation that he calls out:

"Nathalie, what is _this_?"

"A dog, sir." Is all that she can think to respond, earning an audible snicker from Adrien.

"I can see that! Why is it in the house?"

"He lives here."

With a nudge, she's able to convince Adrien to go over and regain control of the situation. He pats the dog, kneeling down next to him so as to slip his hands around its collar and ensure that it can no longer trouble his father.

For all that, the man doesn't climb down from his island. Instead, he stays put eyeing the dog as if it's a savage beast which could spring back into life at any moment and maul him. Adrien pays him no attention, struggling to avoid being given a face licking by the over-friendly mutt. After a few moments however, it's towards the person he holds responsible for allowing the creature into the building into the first place that he turns his attention:

"I thought I made it abundantly clear there were to be no animals inside the house!"

Upon saying that, Gabriel seems to abruptly rediscover where he is and just what he's doing. He shakes his head, staring down at the desk he now stands on. Slowly and with a great deal less confidence and urgency that he had initially climbed up. Emilie approaches, offering him a hand down which he refuses. Those long arms and legs of his seem to be more of a hindrance than an asset when it comes to climbing and his shoes aren't exactly designed for indoor exploration either. After a bit of fumbling, he's back down on the same level as them. He straightens his suit and tie.

Flustered, it's clear that in his mind, his dignity is in tatters.

The man clears his throat, attempting to regain some composure.

It's then that he fixes Macaroon. The way he looks at the animal, it's as if he's never seen a dog before. I's a clear that he's disgusted by it's presence. Adrien pays the man little attention, too occupied with trying to contain his pet's excitement.

"What even is it?" The man asks after a brief period of contemplation.

"I don't know..." Adrien confesses giving the rather oblivious creature a belly rub. "They weren't too sure back at the shelter. They were pretty sure he has some Great Dane and Mastiff in him."

The man's upper lip curls, clearly revolted. Already, Nathalie can tell that they're going to be in for something of a struggle. Gabriel might, MIGHT, have tolerated a small, well-behaved purebred dog with a decent pedigree. Something like a poodle or a well-groomed spaniel.

Macaroon is a large, drooling, clumsy, excitable and -if Nathalie's completely honest – somewhat stupid mutt. Everything that the man would despise and would prove to be irresistible to Adrien. Even now, he fixes the creature with abject horror as it continues to look up at him, tail wagging a mile a minute and periodically barking. It took her long enough to get used to the boisterous animal. So Gabriel, who's never owned a dog to the best of her knowledge, is going to struggle even more to get his head around the fact that the canine lives here.

"He was abandoned as a pup." Adrien continues his eyes focused solely on the dog as opposed to his father. "Tied up and left by the roadside near Saint-Germain..."

Nathalie can't help but wince internally as Adrien recounts his dog's life story. She finds herself thinking back to the boy's youth and how he's missed the point completely. Gabriel couldn't care less who the dog's mother was, where it had come from and who its previous owners had been. He doesn't want the creature in the house. His jaw is clenched tightly, a clear sign that he's struggling with his temper.

Instinct taking over, she steps forwards. Giving Gabriel a look which means "let me handle this". It's one that she hasn't had to deliver in quite some time, not since she was under his employ. Hopefully, he still understands the silent language which had once been so frequent and commonplace between the two of them. Without waiting to ensure that he does, she turns to Adrien. Still seemingly blissfully unaware of what's going on around him.

"Why don't you take Macaroon out for a bit? Let him stretch his legs? He's been cooped up a bit too much recently."

Adrien looks a bit puzzled. His brow creases as he fixes her. As usual though, he doesn't debate matters. The teen keeps a hold on the dog's collar, leading him on and taking him out of the room. Emilie considers him for a moment before following her son. No doubt, she intends to have a word with him. Nathalie lets her leave and trusts the young man to deal with the issue. She has another, perhaps more serious matter to deal with.

It's been a long time since she last found herself alone in the presence of Gabriel. A lot of things have changed since then. She tries her best to push all of the history, pain, fear and shame to some hidden part of her where she can ignore them until she feels strong enough to deal with them. She's not too sure when, if ever that will be but right now, she has to concentrate and keep her business face on. If Gabriel's going to be staying here – because she fails to see just how they can chase him out – she knows that she's going to have to begin to get her head around cohabitation once more. That means an end to hostilities and actually dealing with issues as and when they arise as opposed to the, admittedly more appealing prospect, of hiding from them.

There's anger behind the man's eyes, a familiar look that he would give her whenever something displeased him and he expected her to do something about the matter. She stands with her back straight, as cool and detached a demeanor as she can muster given the current situation. Gabriel's a man who searches for weakness constantly. He can spot it a mile off and home in on it accordingly. As such, her defenses have to be both made out of iron and without so much as a crack in them that he can exploit. Almost all of that is achieved by raising a facade of indifference but seriousness. It's something that she hasn't been forced to resort to in a good few years now and can only hope that she isn't out of practice.

"I want that beast out of the house!" He demands his voice low.

"There's no way Adrien's going to accept that." Nathalie informs the man plainly.

"According to Emilie, he listens to you." There's almost an accusation behind his tone.

"He loves that dog, Mr. Agreste!"

Nathalie feels it necessary to stress that much to him, so that he knows just what's at stake. Adrien forms attachments easily but they're often strong ones. As a result, the assistant isn't one to throw the word "love" around carelessly. So when she does use it, he knows that she's deadly serious. That being said, she's far from convinced that the emotional appeal will have any effect on the hard man. It wouldn't be the first time that he's overlooked his son's feelings in favor of his own designs and desires.

Instead however, it's towards her, the grown responsible adult notionally in charge, that he turns:

"What possessed you to let him have it?!" Adrien had asked for a dog as a child. It was one of the few things that he'd always been turned down.

"He needed the dog."

Adrien had been broken. That much had become clear within the first few days of Hawk Moth's defeat. Whilst if she was honest, the symptoms had been present for a while before then, manifesting less severely as "Dylan". If Nathalie had been able to turn a blind eye to them or at the very least fool herself into thinking that they weren't that bad, they would get better with time, once he'd gotten his head around his current situation. It had been as naive an assumption as it had been incorrect. He'd gotten worse. Loneliness, confusion and betrayal combine together to form anger, a rage she'd seen unleashed against his father and later against the world as a whole.

It had been her suggestion to get the creature in the first place. Lost, she'd taken to doing some research to try and find some way of making things better for him and alleviating the worst of the symptoms. Emotional support dogs was one of things that had been turned up. She'd found herself thinking back to her grandmother's old shepherd and how the teen had enjoyed spending time with it, a few moments patting the gentle and slowing creature always seemed to be enough to soothe whatever troubles were afflicting him. Desperate and at a loss, she'd proposed it. Adrien had accepted, albeit more cautious than she would have thought, much to her disappointment.

She had been expecting/hoping for him to find something of a more sensible size and temperament, like a Jack Russel but as soon as Adrien had spotted on the large dopey, doe-eyed mutt with it's tail wagging a mile a minute and a scar around his neck from where he'd been tied up, she'd known that there was no way they were going home without him. If like knew like, then they also might have attracted one another. Whatever the case, the teen had formed a strong bond with the dog and she didn't even want to contemplate the potential repercussions of separating them.

"He can get another more manageable-" Gabriel begins the anger in his voice slowly giving way.

"You can't just replace a dog like that!" She informs him remaining calm but inside, her frustration at the man's lack of empathy is growing. "Adrien loves him."

The man purses his lips, a sure sign that he's running out of patience with this discussion. Living in China, he must have had everything more or less the way that he wanted, Nathalie reasons. With the exception of returning to Paris, which granted was a serious restriction of his freedoms, there had been nobody around to question or contradict him. Now, he found himself back home but with a son who resented him to an extent that he no longer wanted to hear anything that he had to say and an assistant who was willing to speak her mind.

Outside, some raised voices can be heard. It's Adrien and his mother. They seemed to have gotten into a heated discussion about _something_. Nathalie struggles with the urge to roll her eyes. She seems to spend her days going from one issue to another without any respite in between. It's beginning to fray her nerves, it had to be said.

Gabriel heads towards the door, a look on his face which expresses a will to put an end to this. His former assistant lets out a sigh and takes a step forwards, moving to block him. If she can't appeal to his better nature then she resolves to using logic the only way that she can. The woman intends to remind him just what's at stake here:

"Sir, I'm warning you. Take the dog away and any chance you have of rebuilding your relationship with Adrien will disappear."

That gets him to stop whilst the voices outside gradually grow louder.

He turns back to face her. She doesn't shy away from the harsh look that the man delivers. It's a challenge of sorts. To avert her gaze would be to back down. Instead, she stands firm letting him know that she's as serious as she is truthful. Despite everything, she assumes that Gabriel must want to reconnect with his son. He's not very good at it but he wouldn't be putting up with the boy's current attitude if some part of him didn't want to at the very least try to go back to being a normal family. That's why she stands firm, keen to let him know just what this path will lead him to and more importantly what he stands to lose and destroy.

"Is it really worth it?"

Gabriel's expression hardens for a moment. His mouth is open just enough for Nathalie to think that some manner of a scolding might be coming her way, that he might be about to remind her of her place and to never speak to him in such a way ever again. After a few seconds however, he relaxes, letting out a sigh. It's impossible for the man's gaze not to travel over to the photos which still, after all these years, adorn the walls. It's an Adrien from another time. Perhaps not carefree, although some of them date back to the days before his mother had disappeared. At any rate, he's smiling and there isn't a trace of rage to be seen behind his eyes.

It's a far cry from the yelling that they can still hear coming from the other side of the door.

The anger is gone from the father as he contemplates everything that had been lost and what might never be again if he isn't careful. He faces her once more.

"Tell him to keep that slobbering mutt away from me!"

The request is a simple one but Nathalie is going to count this as a victory. It gives her some hope for the future.

Together, they venture outside. It takes only a few seconds for both of them to twig that this is about Macaroon. To Nathalie it isn't much of a surprise, she can tell that Emilie isn't all that fond of the creature either. If she's been quiet up to now, it's no doubt out of an eagerness to please her son. Now that his father has raised some objections as well, it would seem that she feels emboldened. Whatever has been said or suggested, it's warped Adrien into a state. His anger is, for the first time, directed towards his mother.

The assistant doesn't wait to get both sides of the story or to understand matters any more than she already does. Instead, she steps forwards. Gabriel seems to be on the same wavelength as she is. It's imperative for them to put an end to this before something is said or done that will lead to some regrets. Adrien's gaze does soften when he spots her and Emilie calms down just a little bit when her husband comes over to her side. Still, there's enough tension for Nathalie to think that separating the two for a little while might still be best.

After a few seconds however, the young man somehow becomes both calmer and more distressed. The adrenaline drops and he is almost fearful. Sometimes, despite the fact that he's approaching adulthood, he can seem almost childish to her. The reason behind his sudden panic becomes obvious a few moments later:

"We're not getting rid of Macaroon!"

"No. Of course not." She assures him as calmly as possible.

"Since when do you get any say with what happens in this house?!" Emilie snaps at her from behind Gabriel who is doing his best to try and shepherd her away. "You're staff!"

"Don't you talk to her like that!" Adrien's anger is different, lower and more dangerous for being contained.

"She isn't your mother!"

The comment honestly doesn't hurt Nathalie that much. Emilie is Adrien's mother. Nothing will change that. The lad however reacts as if he'd just been punched in the face. He tenses up and for a moment, the woman fears the worst that he might be about to start shouting or lash out. She's known him to do it before. Instead however, after a few moments, his face clouds over and instead, its a certain spite or malice which makes its way into his eyes.

Through clenched teeth, he speaks in a growl but still one that's loud enough for all to hear:

"Well I wish that she was!"

Emilie tenses up abruptly. Her eyes widen staring at her son in disbelief. Adrien doesn't look away or even show the faintest glimmer of regret, letting her know he believed every word of it. Nathalie herself is somewhat horrified. At the time, it overwhelms anything else that she might feel. He's never made a statement like that before. After a few moments, he turns back towards her. Is he looking for some form of recognition or a sign of approval?

She can give him neither. Instead, she just gawks at him.

It doesn't appear to register. Still holding onto his dog's collar, he exits the building heading out into the garden, leaving the mansion behind him as if a tornado had just passed through. Nathalie feels heat rise to her cheeks, embarrassed and unsettled. She tries not to look at Emilie but its impossible. There are some tears behind her eyes. She's been hurt. Gabriel, a little more composed, is attempting to coax her out of the room, get her somewhere more private where she can open up a little. For a moment though, the two women's gaze meets. One lost, the other scorned.

Unable to bear it any longer, Nathalie excuses herself. She feels no triumph or satisfaction. Instead, there's a lump in the pit of her stomach. There are some things that can never be taken back and some wounds which are cut so deeply that they will struggle to heal. Safe in her room, she feels the few certainties that she had drift away from her and her plans begin to crumble.


	23. A helping hand

Author's note: Thanks for the review.

/

Marinette receives a text that she's been dreading for quite some time now. It's from Nathalie of course, Adrien would never inform her that he was struggling. He'd let his leg fall off from gangrene before he risked worrying her by asking her to take him to the doctor.

Nathalie similarly, she got the feeling, was reluctant to drag her into their private messes. So the fact that she's been summoned here is rather concerning in itself. It seems to lead her to believe that there's a potential threat here of some sorts. She's not a fool. She knows that Gabriel's return has hit her boyfriend hard, if only because the young man refuses to talk much about the matter. He's stubborn but also desperately sensitive. It hasn't taken much for the turmoil at home to affect him and that's beginning to show, despite his best efforts to conceal his mental and emotional state, from time to time, the sadness behind his gaze would shine through.

She's not too sure whether it's Marinette or Ladybug who is required but she decides to come as the former.

There's a certain sense of foreboding as she makes her way up the steps and towards the mansion. The code hasn't changed, at least Adrien's parents haven't altered that. She makes it to the front door. A few months ago, she would have been skipping up them, unable to contain her excitement at the prospect of seeing her boyfriend. Now, if she's honest. She unsure. The young woman doesn't know exactly what she'll encounter. She understands that he's not quite himself, at least not the version of himself which he displays to the outside of the world.

She's greeted by the boy's guardian. Nathalie doesn't offer a smile and looks simply exhausted. It's only been a few days but already Marinette can't help but wonder just what on earth's gone wrong here. They enter into the mansion which is dead silent. It almost feels like they are the only ones present.

"Are you well?" The woman questions, leading her through the building.

"Yeah. Thanks." She holds off asking Nathalie the same, the answer seems obvious.

"Thanks for coming..."

"My pleasure." Marinette replies hesitating a moment before getting to the source of her uncertainties. "Wasn't expecting a dinner invitation though."

The girl had no idea what to expect. Nathalie had been rather vague by her standards over the texts. Adrien would be involved, that much was for sure but his parents? They hadn't even made themselves known as she'd come in. The girl had to wonder if they were even in. If they were, the assistant was making no effort to locate them, instead, leading her towards Adrien's bedroom.

The room is empty. Neither Adrien nor Plagg or even Macaroon are present. Off on a walk apparently, at the least that's what Marinette assumes when she notices the lack of a leash. Nathalie settles down, sitting on the corner of the boy's bed. She must be tired, it's not common for her to make herself at home in such a manner. Uneasy, the teen follows suit, settling down in the seat next to his desk.

It takes a few moments before the woman speaks. She does so quietly, in a hushed tone: 

"I'm going to need your help tonight Marinette."

"Anything." She declares only wishing that she could match the confidence in her voice with her true feelings.

"It's Adrien. He might flare up over dinner." The woman raises her eyes to meet those of the the teen. "Can you help me keep him under control?"

"Of course but uh… How do I do that? I mean… He's always gentle with me. I've never seen him-" She can't even begin to think of the right word to describe what apparently the teen suffers from on occasion. "Blow up?"

If she's honest, she doesn't want to see that side of her boyfriend. She knows it exists, having witnessed Cat Noir's fury when he confronted many years ago and never wants to be faced with the same madness behind Adrien's eyes.

If Nathalie's asking however she feels obligated to at least give it a shot. Perhaps, she reasons, if Adrien manages to temper himself around her then her presence at dinner might be enough to keep him under some form of control. On the other hand, she's fearful that she might be just something else on his mind. She feels uncomfortable. The teen lets out a sigh and kicks her feet out. She has a good few questions and doubts but is acutely aware that a good deal of them the woman would be able to illuminate her on.

"Anything I need to look out for?" Is all that she can think to ask.

"It's hard to say…" Nathalie shakes his head regretfully. "He can have these turns really suddenly. A couple of words, that's all it takes."

Marinette fixes the woman sympathetically. Whilst neither have ever gone into much detail about just what occurred behind closed doors, truth be told, she's never really asked about it. Nathalie is desperate, that much is clear. She's probably planned this. It's the Easter holidays represented the last break before the final push which would lead them in to the final exams. It would give them a week to get things back on course if things turned sour.

Trying to distract herself and to focus on other matters, she casts her gaze around the room. Adrien's bedroom is a space that she's come to know well over the years. It's a strange place however: both a refuge and a prison for him. He's done what he can to make it as homely as possible. The photos have only multiplied over the course of the years. She finds herself smiling as she recollects the various events where they'd been taken. There are a good few of the two of them together on a date or even just hanging out with their friends. It's to another that she turns however, a grin making its way onto her face: 

"You're sweet together." The teen tentatively informs the woman.

She always treads cautiously around the boy's caregiver, aware that she's not the most sensitive of people in that she doesn't talk about her feelings, much, if ever. She must be safe today however as there's a gentle smile on Nathalie's face. She too turns to contemplates the image from afar. It's an uncharacteristic picture for her in that she's not attempting to be anyone else than herself or to conceal the affection that she feels for the teen. Adrien stands next to her, his arms dangle around her neck as he gives the woman what can best be described as a hug. Plagg's there too apparently. There's a tenderness behind her gaze as it rests on him. Marinette wasn't there that day. It was taken down south a good few years ago now back when he was still shorter that his "_Man_".

Marinette wants to fix things. To make them better so that there will be more photos on Adrien's desk.

It's a short while later that the door opens. Adrien drags his feet as he enters but Macaroon certainly doesn't rushing over to her. He always greets her as if the last time they'd seen one another he'd assumed that it was farewell forever. It takes quite a bit of effort on her part to push him down and to avoid getting a thorough tongue-licking around the face. Thankfully, the young man is there a few seconds later to pull his pet away from her and get the dog under some semblance of control once more.

"Marinette!" His greeting is just as enthusiastic, did he not know that she was coming?

"Hey _chaton_..." She speaks softly to him getting to her feet so as to be able to place a little peck on his lips.

Adrien smiles evidently pleased to be back in her company. Marinette wonders just what he's been told. It seems unlikely that any of this has been intended to surprise him. Still, he seems lighthearted enough given that in a few minutes he'll be sitting down to dinner with his parents. It's a good enough sign, she reckons. At the very least, they're starting off from a good base. So long as he's able to smile, his girlfriend is going to assume that things are going well enough. He asks after her parents, whom he saw only a few days ago but she informs him that they're well none-the-less.

After a few moments, the teen checks the old watch which he wears religiously. His expression clouds over somewhat before he turns to face them:

"Guess it's about time..."

Nathalie gives him a single nod confirming the statement. He lets out a sigh but makes no more of it.

It feels strange to go from Adrien's bedroom straight to the dining room. Like they've missed a step of socialization. Usually, there would be _apperitifs_ and a chance to exchange before the meal. As it stands, she hasn't even seen Mr. and Mrs. Agreste. Maybe that's for the better. The last time she'd found herself faced with Gabriel, it had been shortly after he'd been unmasked. As faint and distorted as those memories are curtsy of the sedatives and other drugs that he'd had her on to ensure that she remained sleeping, they remain profoundly unpleasant and something which in all honesty, she could much rather do without. As they draw closer to the door, she has butterflies in her stomach.

In her mind, it's not Gabriel behind the door but rather Hawk Moth. They're one and the same of course but that doesn't make it any easier. She finds herself wondering if this is what it's like for Adrien? No wonder he loses it periodically.

Inside however, Gabriel stands next to his wife. Both are impeccably groomed, enough to make her feel somewhat under-dressed. She's put on some nicer clothes but not exactly her best. To be fair, she hadn't been told what to expect. Adrien however is still in a tee-shirt and Nathalie isn't especially dolled up either. So she tries not to focus on it too much. Given the state of affairs, she doubts that anyone will notice. This isn't exactly a high brow event or a fashion shoot.

Adrien takes her hand, pulling her out of her thoughts. What she initially takes for simply being an instinctive move or perhaps an attempt to solidify their relationship in front of both of his parents, she soon realizes is something else. His palms are somewhat moist. A quick glance towards him confirms that despite the clenched jaw, he is scared. She can see the fear behind his eyes which he's desperately trying to conceal. She squeezes gently, just enough to let him know that he's not alone, that she's here with him. Nathalie stands close to him as well, the comfort she provides is more subtle but none the less powerful.

Eventually, he goes to sit down. The three of them settle in front of Mr. and Mrs. Agreste. It's very much a face to face. It's Gorilla who has agreed to do the running around in terms of bringing in the food. Marinette often wonders just what he thinks about this whole mess, he's not the most expressive of individuals and she doubts that he's been kept up to date with all of the goings on in their lives.

There's a somewhat awkward atmosphere which hangs over the dinner table. Something big had happened not that long ago. Marinette might not be entirely in the know but a little word here or there from Nathalie and Adrien have been enough to clue her in to the fact that whatever it was, it was pretty nasty. She won't ask any questions, assuming and hoping that it's all in the past. Equally, when thinking about what was, she does her best not to meet Gabriel's gaze. As it is, he seems reluctant to lay eyes upon her. Perhaps, in fact, she even dares to hope that she's a painful reminder of his wrongdoings and he therefore wants to avoid a trip down memory lane.

Finally, it's Emily who speaks making everything just a bit more bearable:

"How have you been Marinette?"

"Fine, thank you." She replies, a little sheepish but trying her best to remain polite. "You?"

"Still getting my head around a few things." The woman confesses her attention drifting briefly over towards her son. "But getting better every day."

Adrien shifts next to her. He's uncomfortable. Nervous. So she slips her hand under the table and takes his once more, rubbing his knuckles with her thumb. It's a soothing action and she can feel him relax, just a little bit.

To Emilie's left, Gabriel looks towards his son. Although it has to be said, he seems to be more content with focusing on either his wife or Nathalie. The assistant doesn't bat an eyelid. If she's worried about things or intimidated by her boss' presence, she doesn't let on. Marinette is inclined to follow her example. She tells herself that this is just a normal day. Neither of them are in any danger. This is just the first meeting with both of his parents together. That in itself is stressful enough. A second later, it's like an electric current is passed through his body. He jumps a little, glancing towards his spouse. With a shake of his head, it's towards the two teens that he turns his attention:

"I trust that your parents are well?" The words are tentative, uncertain.

"Yes. They are." Marinette blinks a few times, unsure how to speak to a man who had held her captive for a good few weeks. "Thank you."

She feels awkward. It's clear that Gabriel – with some insistence from his wife – is making an effort. At the same time, every single bone in her body demands that she be cautious around this man. He's the one who imprisoned her and came terrifyingly close to killing his own son. There's a part of her which truly wants to believe that he's reformed and is eager to rekindle what has become a damaged relationship before it's too late. All that same, she finds herself on edge, fearing the worst. Adrien is the same, he focuses on the small space in front of him as if somehow that will serve to block out the rest of the world and take him away from this place.

It's not the most comfortable way to begin the evening but at the very least, she tells herself, Adrien is sitting down for a meal with his parents.

"Will your kwamis be wanting anything?"

The mere mention of their partners caused both Adrien and Marinette to tense up. They exchanged uncertain glances. Naturally, both Tikki and Plagg were with them. Both were hiding, as per usual. Up until Emilie had been awakened joining them, they would have been out for a meal like this, enjoying their own food on some saucers. It's more force of habit than anything else that has lead to them concealing themselves. However both of Adrien's parents know about their existence. There's no need for them to be secrets. Unless of course they assume that they are in company of potential enemies…

Both of them slowly make their presences known, floating up so as to be next to their human partners. They seem uncertain, eyeing the couple cautiously. Thankfully, they probably have relatively little too fear. So long as their miraculouses are in good hands and they can phase through objects.

"And um..." Gabriel seems awkward, his gaze traveling between the two creatures. "What exactly do you two enjoy eating?"

"I've already had mine, thank you." Tikki informs the man, remaining polite as she can.

"And you?" It's Emilie who asks Plagg.

"I..." His voice trails off, uncertainly. "I- like cheese."

"Very well then." The man hesitates a moment before almost instinctively turning away. "Nathalie, do we have any of that?"

"We most certainly do, sir."

She gets up, heading to the kitchen. With Plagg's existence common knowledge, there's little point in Adrien hording smelly cheese in his bedroom. She'll ask the chef to put some on a plate. It won't even seem odd. Just before she leaves however, she tenses up. It's as if he's just woken up suddenly from whatever daydreaming state he was in. Nathalie lingers, just for a moment in the doorway, aware he's about to say something and that it might not be the most sensitive statement that he's ever made:

"Stop calling him "sir"." Adrien's request is a cold one, although he's muttering more than anything else. "He's not your boss."

Actually he is. He pays her wages. Nathalie doesn't bring that up. She waits just another few seconds, fearful that this is going to be the beginning of another argument. Surprisingly, although to her considerable relief, Gabriel bites his tongue. In fact, he barely seems to react. So she takes a chance and leaves anyway. She isn't gone all that long but it's enough to have her fretting. Marinette's never seen Adrien have a bad outburst and if he suffers one, she's not entirely convinced that anyone will be able to keep him under control.

When she gets back, it's idle chatter that she's met with as opposed to yelling. Adrien is quiet. So Marinette is doing her best to ensure that they aren't just there sitting in silence. Quietly, she settles back down next to him.

It sets the stage for the rest of the night. They manage to get some semblance of a discussion flowing and Adrien just sits in silence. He isn't sulking, although for a while that's what Marinette assumes he might be doing for some reason. No, after a few moments, she realizes that he's doing something else. He appears to have somehow cut himself off from the rest of the world, isolating himself in his own little bubble. Just what's going on inside of his head, she can't quite tell. He does eat and is not so oblivious as to be entirely unaware of just what's going on around him. He does react occasionally but has very little to contribute. At least he's there.

When the time comes to leave, it takes Marinette a few moments before she can get Nathalie alone for a couple of seconds, just to talk about what she's just witnessed here tonight:

"He hardly said a word..."

"Yes..." The woman smiles sadly as she glances towards the young man who is busy getting his girlfriend's coat. "-but he stayed there. It's progress. Baby steps..."

"Baby steps..." Marinette murmurs in agreement.

She'll trust Nathalie. Even if it takes a thousand years, she'll help him through this.


	24. Checkmate

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! They really do help with writing direction, etc._**

**_/_**

A few keys echo out through the mansion as Adrien Agreste mindlessly runs his fingers across the keyboard of his piano. He's not putting much effort into it. Nathalie's gone out for lunch, although he's not entirely sure where and all of his friends have somehow managed to find themselves occupied. So that leaves him here, alone with Plagg and his parents. They're always together however or at least they seem to be. He doesn't want to find himself faced with his father. He's not ready yet. So isolation is his preferred option.

His kwami sits atop the instrument, reading about cheese facts from a magazine. It's a scene which could have taken place five years ago.

His mind is elsewhere, certainly not on practice. There's so much going on right now, he's having a hard time processing it. The sensation is an unpleasant one, he can best equate it to having too much going through his head. It's giving him headaches, among other unpleasant symptoms. Those in turn make him irritated. Trying not to take that pent up frustration on those around him is a challenge in itself and only leads to him becoming increasingly wound up. So, he isolates himself, tries to breathe a bit. It's not enough, it doesn't change what's going on, who he's sharing a house with or what's happened. It's in the past but that still remains terribly real and painful for him.

His fingers slip, he hits a wrong key, the already imperfect melody is ruined.

Anger takes over. He clenches his fists and brings them down hard on the instrument. It startles Plagg, who looks up alarmed. His gaze rests on the teen for a moment. He's breathing quickly, teeth clenched. All symptoms that the kwami recognizes. He knows not to approach too soon, just to let things cool off before he takes any chances. The boy can lash out sometimes. He doesn't mean to hurt them, he just does. So it's best to give him the opportunity to recover and ensure that his head is on straight before daring to venture anywhere near him.

A few minutes later, there's a knock at the door. Adrien looks up. Is it Nathalie? No. She wouldn't be waiting for permission to come in. She usually knocks and assuming that he doesn't tell her otherwise, she'll come in right away. The teen hesitates, aware that it can only either be his father or mother on the other end of the door, potentially both. He's far from eager to be confronted by either of them, much less the two together.

Backed into his room, he feels fearful. There's nothing to just stop them from coming in, no lock or latch. Nathalie isn't here right now to provide any support. There's Plagg of course. He could transform and retreat out the window. It's a possibility…

"Adrien?"

The door creaks open and a familiar face looks in. It's his mother. Adrien just stares at her wide-eyed unable to process things and therefore to come to any proper reaction. It's very much a case of deer in the headlights. He's not even thinking of much.

Perhaps sensing her son's confusion and distress, the woman enters. She does so slowly however, as if she's treading on eggshells. She moves slowly, giving him ample time to retreat or tell her to leave. He doesn't seem angry, if anything, the teen gives off the distinct impression of being confused, perhaps a little wary. She stops a little bit short so as not to crowd him. The woman hesitates a moment, awkward and unsure before tentatively speaking:

"We're planning lunch. Is an omelet enough for you?"

"Yeah. Omelet's fine..."

He's still staring at her like she's just arrived from the planet Zarg. Emilie shifts, her gaze running around the room as she searches for something else to focus on. Apparently unable to locate a suitable distraction, she ends up turning back to her son. He seems a mixture of helpless and harmless, perhaps a little lost. Whatever the case, the woman isn't happy with the silence and eventually finds herself compelled to interrupt it:

"Still playing the piano, are we?"

"Yeah..."

"What can you play?"

"A lot of things."

"How about Frères Jacques, can you remember that one?"

"Of course. You taught it to me."

She's surprised when he plays the tune.

It comes almost instinctively to him. Granted it's simple enough but still it comes naturally to him, he barely even seems to put any thought into it. She lets him go through it all. For Adrien, it's difficult not to think back to his younger years when his mother had sat him down and taught him. It had been smiles and jokes. He'd lived for those few minutes with one another and spent the next few years longing for them. Now, he's just confused.

Very cautiously, Emilie reaches out, she places her hand on a few of the keys and attempts the first few notes from the melody. Adrien doesn't stop her, instead watching curiously. She gets a couple right and then one's out of tune. She tries again and makes the same mistake. Then, the teen shakes his head. He repeats the tune, making the effort to show her where he's putting his fingers and what sequence they go in. They spend a few moments like that. Slowly but surely however, the woman gets the hang on it. Unlike her husband, she was never exactly a pianist but he did teach her a few tunes. It takes a moment or so but she gets the hang on it.

At the end however, they are able to play something of a duet with Adrien taking the lead. It causes her to smile,

"I guess even if you're sleeping you can get out of practice..."

He fixes the instrument in front of him somewhat mindlessly or what appears to be mindlessly to his mother. There can be little doubt that inside, there's an awful lot going on. Just what those thoughts and doubts are, can only be guessed. He doesn't vocalize them or otherwise give any hints as to just what might be passing through his head. She doesn't push him, instead sitting there in silence, she gives him time. He wears a sorrowful expression as he rocks back and forth a little on the stool.

Finally, after what is most certainly a few minutes and feels like far longer, he turns to look at her. His eyes are a bit wet although he isn't quite crying. He speaks so quietly, that Emilie practically has to strain her ears to hear him:

"I'm sorry… For what I said."

"No. It was my fault. I forgot that you're fragile. Can you forgive me?"

He hesitates a few seconds, whether it's indecision or simply his thought process is running a bit slower than usual, she can't say. Her heart is in her mouth.

Slowly however, he nods. Yes. He can. It's not an impossible ask. She takes a chance and reaches out, slipping her arms around and pulling him in for a hug. He tenses up, evidently taken by surprise. Marinette hugs him. Nathalie… Not so much… It takes him a little while to figure out and remember just what he's supposed to do. There is something of an unworldly warmth that comes from his parent or perhaps he's just searching for it there. He doesn't question it. Just accepting it for what it is, choosing not to see Plagg's discomfort with the situation.

They don't stay like that for long, only a few moments before pulling away. Emilie offers him a wonderful smile before turning back towards the instrument:

"Do you think you can teach me a few more?"

Adrien nods, confident that he can at least manage that much.

It's to the sound of the piano that Nathalie returns home. She frowns however, surprised to hear that there are two people playing. Instinctively, she's inclined to assume that it's Gabriel up there with his son. They'd played together in the past. Perhaps it's Plagg. Surprisingly, the kwami can find his way around the keyboard. At any rate, it's not something that she was expecting. All the same, so long as he's enjoying himself, she's inclined to call it progress. Smiling softly, she makes her way inside and prepares to pay the young man a visit, keen to see just what he's up to.

"Nathalie!" A masculine voice calls after her. "May I have a word?"

She holds her breath but accepts none-the-less. There are certain things that it's best not to call into question. She doesn't know just what Gabriel wants with her but follows loyally just like she used to in the past. The woman reasons with a certain amount of disheartened bemusement that it must say a lot about her if she feels more comfortable in the presence of a man who's tried to kill her twice than she does that of his wife. It's true though, at the very least, she feels that she knows him well enough, his thought process and in short what makes him tick enough to be able to turn her back on him.

Emilie is… Different. She can't quite put her finger on it.

Nathalie is far closer in terms of personality to Gabriel than she is to his wife. Both have something of a detached manner about themselves. They come across as cold but level-headed. Adrien, as Marinette has discovered, is as hot-blooded as his mother, both sporting quite the temper. They can easily feed off of one another, tensions rising until it came to a head. Ironically, it leaves the assistant more capable to deal with the young man. Of course, it helps that she's more familiar with him. She knows when to push and went to let things lie. What he was capable of and when he would inevitably fall short. Gabriel being more level-headed, she trusts not to blow up over nothing. He's spoke to her calmly, which indicates that she can afford to relax at least somewhat.

He leads her into his office and has her shut the door behind her. This could have been a scene from a good few years ago. It's almost something of deja vu for his assistant. It's something of a routine for the two of them. He goes to stand behind his computer, a position that he had always occupied. Meanwhile, she remains standing towards the center of the room, arms folded behind her back, waiting patiently.

His eyes are focused on a screen for a moment. The man lets out a heavy sigh and all of a sudden comes across as being exhausted. Finally, after what seems like an interminable wait, he manages to gather his wits enough so as to speak:

"I just wanted to say… Despite what Emilie might say, might think… You've done a good job, raising him this far." He pauses for an instant, glancing down at the floor for a moment. "I know he's not easy."

The man's former assistant only just manages to hold back a sigh. How to respond to that other than by claiming that Gabriel has missed the point completely? She knows that will only lead to more hostilities. So she bites her tongue and forces herself to pick her next few words very carefully.

Adrien is complicated. He didn't used to be. At least not to the same degree that he is now. This is something which has largely come about as a result of what he's been forced to endure. He'd tolerated it for as long as humanly possible when living with his father, things had began to crumble. He'd held things together more or less for as long as he could and then things had collapsed completely after the Grand Palais. That single event has left more than the visible scars on his skin. She's aware and hopes that his parents are too by this point that his psyche is not what it should be. The challenge is expressing that much without coming across as pinning all of the blame on him (even if she might feel that that's where almost all of it rests) or as making it seem that his son is a lost cause.

"Gabriel… Adrien wants – needs, to be a loved. That's all he ever wanted, for you to be a part of his life again." She pauses glancing towards the images of him as a younger teen, back when he'd been relatively carefree. "He's still there, underneath it all. He's more vulnerable than you think. So it will take time and effort."

Her words are having an impact, she can tell that much from the man's grave expression. He was definitely considering them, reflection upon whether or not they contained any wisdom or anything that he could draw on she hoped. Nathalie has become a bit cynical over the years. She can't tie it down to any particular event as she deems is a mix of what life has thrown at her which has caused the problem. Whatever the case, whilst she wants to believe that the Agreste family is capable of holding itself together and reforming a whole; so far she's not overconfident. This is the first time that she's seen just a glimmer of hope.

If Gabriel will listen to her, will make an effort, then there's a chance that eventually, Adrien might be able to let them in once more...

"That's what we plan to do… Start afresh." Gabriel informs her, his voice low before finally, for the first time, raising his gaze to meet hers. "Which is why, I'm sorry, Nathalie but we're going to have to let you go."

She stands there like a statue. Struck dumb. For a moment, his words fail to register entirely. She has to run them over time and time again in her mind to try and make sense of it.

Letting her go… She was being fired?! That much she can eventually understand but the implications, they dance around in her mind but never settle long enough for her to process them. So she stands there shocked. This has taken her by surprise and it proves to be a challenge to recover from the blow. She blinks as she fixes the man who has spoken to her, essentially exiling her from the life that she has known these past three years. For all that, she still can't seem to find it in her to react. Even when she does manage to pull herself together to articulate a few syllables all she can manage is:

"Wh-What?"

"You're an employee." Gabriel is impossible to read as he reminds her of that much. "A good employee but I think it's time that you moved on to other things, don't you?"

"Sir… You know it's more complicated than-"

"You'll receive your severance package in full and then some."

She isn't being given time to argue her position or gather her thoughts. This has been rehearsed or at the very least planned. In those few seconds, Nathalie realizes that if she doesn't do something and strike back quickly, she is going to lose this battle. Worse… She will lose Adrien and any chance she has of ensuring that this crucial point in his life goes smoothly. She shakes her head, pulling herself back together. She's going to have to fight if she wants to stand any chance of preventing her essential exile from the household.

It wasn't that easy to fire someone in France. Perhaps Gabriel has forgotten that much during his stay in China. She'll use that: strike him with logic. She relies on that more than she does her emotions, afraid that she might lose control and with it any chance she has of winning this.

"I'm going to fight this, si-" She stops herself. "You don't want that sort of publicity."

"You need to leave-" He stresses without raising his voice in the slightest. "or else..."

"Or else _what_?!" There's a cutting tone to her question, daring him to go further.

The man narrows his eyes. Unfortunately, he doesn't back down from the challenge. Instead, he turns the screen round so that she can see it. The woman is unwilling to take her eyes off of the man least he pull some manner of a trick and take advantage of her distraction. She takes the chance none-the-less. It's a security recording, one that she's never before seen and had assumed had been deleted. Apparently not… Either that or Gabriel kept some manner of a copy on him. She could have believed that.

It shows Catalyst, rising from the hidden elevator in the room to rush over to claim the peacock miraculous from the safe. It's wouldn't be all that damning if it didn't also show that Nathalie Sancoeur had descended but not risen. Yet it's Gabriel who brings her back out again, peafowl broach still just visible clipped onto her clothes. She fixes it for a moment, blinking as she tries to make sense of it and its implications:

"You'd damn yourself as well..." Is all that she can think to point out.

"I can drag you through the mud just as much as you can me." He clarifies his voice still level and calm. "So you have two options: accept this proposition, you have my world that I'll see to it that Emilie allows you to visit or you can fight it, in which case I guarantee that both you and I will end up behind bars for quite some time."

It's not something that she's ever thought that he would stoop to. Is it stooping? It's sacrifice of sorts. Even although Hawk Moth disappeared some years ago, as did Mayura, that doesn't mean that the authorities wouldn't be happy to get their hands on those responsible for inflicting such grief on the city for over a year. Even if they ever got out of prison, their names would be forever tainted by their past deeds as would all those who were associated with them. Adrien would suffer, she was certain of that much, who would believe that with the two adults in his household mixed up with the villainy that he wasn't at least partly in on it?

She feels her stomach begin to turn, the ground giving out beneath her feet as she doesn't know where to stand. Frantic, she begins to search for some way out. She doesn't want to beg. She doesn't know if she can express just how much Adrien means to her. The woman suspects that the man's already fully aware of that much. Hence why he's separated them. If he was here… She can only imagine how the teenager would react.

"Should Adrien decide to leave with you we will press charges." She can only stare back, blinking her mouth slightly ajar. "Abduction of a minor will not look good on your record - or his."

A minor… Of course, this is why they'd have to make their move now. In a little over a month, it won't matter. Adrien will be free. This has been planned. It's not a spur of the moment reaction to yet another breakout of hostilities. Just what they plan to do without her during that period, she can't say. He'll be anything but easy...

The woman's jaw clenches. Her natural instinct is to challenge him. She stops however, replaying the man's words through her mind. _"Or his..."_ A clear threat but one which causes her to hesitate. Whilst the law might not come down on Adrien, the press most certainly would. They wouldn't see it as a young man running away because the alternative was staying with his parents whom he no longer felt comfortable being around. It would be viewed with a cynical eye. She can see the headlines already: "Adrien Agreste, teenage supermodel, runs away with family secretary." She can't subject him to that.

Slowly but surely… She finds her combativeness ebbing away. Gabriel must sense it as well. He approaches slowly, taking a few steps so as to stand in front of them. She can't even bring herself to look at him, fearful that he might see past her defenses and into the pain which is beginning to take over her:

"Think about Adri-"

"Don't-" She cuts him off suddenly, her tone low and dangerous. "Don't you dare hide behind him!"

Gabriel stiffens briefly, straightening himself so as to back away from her slightly. The look she gives him is one of pure hatred. There are no words to describe just how much she loathes him in those few moments, perhaps even hates herself for ever being so weak as to actually care for the man, to have ever wanted to be with him.

Intuitively, she knows why he's doing this. She's a buffer between them and their son and makes no secret of the fact. What they perceive as being a nuisance, perhaps even a dangerous influence on the lad is actually essential as it provides him with a shield of sorts, something to temper his aggression and to console him when he's afraid. Remove that and he'll have no choice but to find himself faced with them again. In their minds, they must see that as being the best option. Perhaps they think that by confronting him directly, they will be able to break through the terror which has gripped him and bring him to his senses. Like someone who's afraid of heights choosing to jump from a diving board. Maybe they even think that she's the one who has been polluting his mind in the first place. Nathalie hopes that at least at some point, they have their son's best interests at heart rather than their own desires… Although she honestly wouldn't like to say.

She has but one question for him:

"How much of this is Emilie and how much is you?"

"Did you really think that this was going to last?" Gabriel asks her speaking in a low voice, instead of answering directly. "You are not his mother, nor will you ever be a part of this family. Now I suggest you leave quietly, make it easier for everyone or am I going to have to call the police?"

She grits her teeth to avoid snapping back with some of the bile and hatred that's built up inside of her. If she were to lose control and lash out the way that she so desperately wants, what would the consequences? If he carried through with his threat, she would find herself arrested. Then the chances of her ever seeing Adrien again would be few and far between.

She looks up at the man before her. Gabriel is impossible to read. He doesn't seem to be taking any pleasure in this but he most certainly isn't pulling his punches either. She closes her eyes, filling her lungs with a few shaky breaths, frantically searching for a way out that won't potentially endanger herself and Adrien. She'll be abandoning him if she leaves. She knows that. Right now however, it might actually be the lesser of two evils. She can't expose him to the threat of being incriminated through both her and his father's actions. If she's behind bars, he will also be vulnerable. She won't be able to protect him or likely even speak with him…

She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath as she speaks a few words which she knows are going to haunt her in the future:

"I'll do it… I'll go." She lets out a shaky sigh. "Just give me some time to get my stuff together..."


	25. Torn asunder

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

Nathalie makes her way through the mansion mindlessly. It's like she's on autopilot. Her brain refuses to function properly, no matter how many times she tries to kick it into gear. She's like a zombie. Anything could happen next to her and she likely wouldn't be able to react to it or even take notice of it. There's enough of a presence in her mind to tell her that she has to make her way to her bedroom, as much for practical reasons as a desperate need to be alone.

The duet on the piano continues as she staggers into her room. She has enough self-awareness to close the door behind her.

A few steps inside her bedroom, that's when everything hits her. What she's agreed to, having already signed the paperwork – her left hand is still trembling. She feels like she just signed her soul over to the devil. Maybe she didn't, not hers at least but rather Adrien's. She condemned him to the very thing that she knows he fears the most: being left alone. His parents might try and fill the gap but she knows already that they will fail. They will fail because he will hate them for this. The anger will take over and the young man that she knows and loves will disappear. Her only chance is to be there for him.

She really should have seen it coming and prepared herself accordingly. She curses herself. She's an idiot, a fool… Anyone else would have put up more of a fight, struggled tooth and nail to stay with the young man that she's raised these past four years. The thought of abandoning him makes her feel sick.

There's a pain in her throat which she hasn't felt in a very long time. She'll cry later, she tells herself. This is not the place to suffer from a breakdown.

The woman attempts to distract herself with work.

She's never been all that much of a material person. Most of her possessions can be piled into the same suitcase that she brought them in. She starts with her clothes. Folding them neatly so that they don't take up too much space. Then it's the turn for her toiletries. They go in and slowly but surely the room empties. The last few things left are a few trinkets. There's a necklace designed by Marinette and paid for by Adrien, a collection of birthday cards kept in a small box and two photos, the first old, from her youth and the second far more recent, although both were taken within only a few meters of one another.

She fixes the image sadly. It occurs to her that she won't be on the receiving end of quite so many hugs any more. Will he hate her for this? Even if she explains things to him? He's afraid that he'll see this as a betrayal and loathe her for it. With a trembling hand, she reaches out and takes the picture in her hand. Her fingers brush over the features of the smiling teen with his arms draped around her neck. It had been her grandmother the one to take the photo, originally planning to send it to Marinette to show how their holidays down south had gone. A week or so after getting back, Adrien had presented it to her in a frame. He keeps one himself. It's a link between the two of them, a reminder of what they have together. What she now stands to lose.

Despite herself, tears trickle down her cheeks. She muffles her sobs by placing a hand over her mouth.

She's close to running downstairs and starting a fight. More often than not, Nathalie tries to keep her emotions on a short leash and under tight control. She's been doing it for so long now that it's actually almost second-nature to her and requires little to no effort. From time to time however, she finds herself terribly tempted to let anger take over. She's hurting from the knowledge of what's to come. If she's able to avoid utterly falling apart, it's solely because she reminds herself that Adrien's still here. One of the two of them is going to have to keep it together and she's acutely aware that it's unlikely to be him.

Engrossed in her own sorrows, she fails to register the sound of a knock at the door and forgets to ask just for a few moments. In the life that she's grown used to, that means that it's okay to come in.

"Hey… Mom and I were about to go for a-" The teen stops abruptly, freezing in his tracks. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Adrien..." She speaks softly. "I'm-"

She doesn't bother going any further. The woman takes the precaution of removing her glasses, trying to conceal the action of wiping her tears away as simply wanting to clean the lenses. Only once she feels that she's banished as much of the evidence that she was sobbing as possible does she turn around. As she turns around, she realizes that the game's up. He might not know any of the details but he's smart and sensitive enough to realize that something isn't right. Probably he's also aware that it's something terrible.

The young man doesn't say anything. She averts her gaze shamefully, unable to face the boy she knows she is about to abandon. Already, he seems distressed, approaching her quickly so as to get to the bottom of what's happening. She's never behaved like this before around him.

"Nathalie, what's going on? Wh-Why are you crying?" The concern is his voice is only too apparent. He fixes her with eyes wide with fright and concern. Then, slowly, it seems to dawn on him and the anger returns: "What have they done?!"

The woman lets out a shaky sigh and does her best to repress her emotions. Her own sorrow can wait, what matters now is Adrien. She can see him coming apart over this. Nathalie finds herself torn between breaking things to him gently or doing so quickly, in the same way that one might tear off a band-aid so as to limit the amount of time that an individual spent suffering. Whatever happens, she knows that it's going to be a terrible blow. His reaction is likely to be as unpredictable as it is to be powerful.

Ultimately, she opts for simply presenting him with the facts. She takes a deep breath, steadying herself for what is about to happen. Aware that she's going to have to be the stronger of the two of them for a while:

"A-Adrien." Despite her best efforts, she stutters somewhat. She closes her eyes, calming down momentarily before muttering. "I'm going to have to leave for a while."

"They're chasing you out?!"

His voice breaks at the end of his sentence. His jaw doesn't react with the automatic rage against his parents that she'd feared he would. Instead, it's pure terror which grips him. Her first instinct is to reach out and place a hand on his shoulder, fearing that he's about to suffer from a panic attack. If he collapses or otherwise freaks out, she wants to ensure that she can catch him. The young man shakes his head, as if refusing to believe what he's just been told. Plagg floats next to him, eyeing his partner cautiously, trying to judge what the rest of his reaction would be.

He holds onto the arm that's stretched out so that she can rest her hand on his shoulder as if it's the only thing preventing him from falling into some terrible abyss. She struggles to avoid displaying her discomfort. His grip is a little too tight and hurts. There's water behind his wide eyes. He's almost childlike in the way that he looks to her desperate for reassurance which she is unable to provide:

"Please Nathalie… I don't want you to leave."

"I know..." She speaks softly to him. "-but I don't have a choice… Gabriel's threatening to reveal that I was Mayura."

"So?" Plagg actually seems to be angry, flying right into her face. "You can do the same to him!"

"Then we'll both end up behind bars." Nathalie shakes her head regretfully. "I wish there was some other way. You'll be eighteen in a few weeks and-"

Adrien isn't listening. She can see that he's drifted off. He looks lost. The way that he fixes her, it's hard to keep her nerve. He pleas with her silently, begging her to do something, anything to make sure that this doesn't happen. She wishes that she could do what he wants and stay here with him, failing that magic him away with her. She can do neither so finds herself just fixing her softly, tears lingering behind his eyes. It takes all of her self-control to avoid breaking down in tern. Deep breaths, she forces herself to remain strong.

He raises his voice with his next statement, almost angry, as if he sees this as a betrayal of sorts, it's exactly what she feared:

"You promised you'd stay with me!"

"I know..." Her response is a pained one, she makes no attempt to conceal her suffering. "I know and I'm sorry. You know where I live. My door will always be open..."

"Take me with you..." It's a desperate plea, he sounds utterly terrified. "Please!"

"I can't…" She stresses to him, feeling some of his pain. "They'll press charges and it'll be all over the papers."

He looks down, unable to bear to fix her any longer. She gives him a few moments, Plagg perches himself on his human partner's shoulder. Still, it fails to register properly with him. He's dejected, perhaps seeing how she is trapped. For a moment, she contemplates doing something which she has never before done: putting her arms around him and pulling him in for a hug. Right now however, she's far from convinced that it will be enough to comfort him. It might not even be welcome right now. He's crying, she can hear that even from where she's standing. His life is going up in smoke and the one guarantee that he's felt he'd always have if things suddenly went south is about to walk out of the door, banished forever.

She couldn't have said now long that they spent like that. Too long. Every second is agony to her. Awkward, she remains frozen. Adrien continues to hold onto her arm. The pain is something that she can live with. It feels moderate in comparison to the feeling that she's been torn away from one of the few things in her life that matters.

"I-I love you." Adrien croaks out eventually.

It hurts.

Adrien's a little more cautious about throwing that word around than he once was. She hopes that's because he understands all of its implications a little more and isn't basing himself quite so much off of those cartoons he spent so much of his younger years watching. No. He actually means it. There are some things in life that she finds she knows. The teen's never attempted to conceal the fact that he cares for her. They've been living together for years and she's more or less treated him as she would if he were her own son. Of course, she knows that he loves her. Yet, to actually hear him say it…

It hurts all the more because she knows it won't change anything. Those three words should make all the difference in the world but she knows that they can't. A few times, she opens her mouth, eager to try and say something – anything – to ease both his pain and her own. A few comforting words would go a long way right now. None come to mind however.

Instead, she takes a chance in a single half step forwards. It's enough to close the gap between them. Adrien fixes her, teary eyed. He seems to get the message, slipping his arms around her and pulling her in for a hug. Somehow it still seems strange, in her mind, she pictures him as a teenager from time to time – well, a fourteen year old who didn't even come up to her shoulder. He's grown up before her eyes and she knows he's closer to a man than a boy. In those few moments however, he does seem very infant-like to her. She can feel his body shudder with sobs. He holds her close but manages to prevent himself from crushing her. It's the pain of being torn apart and the fear of the unknown which lies ahead. He clings to her, desperately. Silently, he begs for her not to leave. The woman closes her eyes, she wishes that she could grant his wish. Another life, if there was less hanging on the line, perhaps if they weren't quite in the limelight as much… If she was just a little bit braver…

He puts up some resistance when she finally does try to pull away from him. Gently but firmly, she manages to put just a couple of feet between them. Adrien's eyes are red, as tears continue to trickle down his cheeks. She looks at him sympathetically for a moment, only just managing to hold back some of her own.

"This isn't fair! None of this is!" Anger seeps through his sobs, not towards her. The resentment he feels is more general.

"Yeah… The world's like that sometimes." She tells him in a sigh, speaking in a soft voice, trying her best to mask her own distress. "You're going to have to be strong for a little while without me, okay?"

"I-I'll try..." He gives her a shaky nod as a reply.

"Good and as for you-" Nathalie turns her attention towards the kwami who is still nearby. "You look after him for me, okay? Make sure he doesn't stay up all night running over rooftops."

"I will."

She makes a move to pull away but Adrien still has her hand. Even now, he can't bring himself to let go of her. She smiles painfully and looks up into his wet green eyes, still silently begging her to stay. Nathalie reaches up carefully. Her hand touches his face, brushing away the tears which trail down his cheeks and wiping them away as carefully as she can. He leans into her palm, looking for just a little more comfort there.

A few words almost slip out of her mouth which to the best of her knowledge. Just three little words. She might have said them as Mayura, she can't quite recall what she said or did back then but she doesn't think that she does. There's a pain in her throat however which prevents her from articulating even the beginnings of the sentiment. She does try but the syllables get stuck and don't even come out.

_He knows…_ She tells herself. It doesn't need to be said.

Slowly, his grip on her slackens. Finally, the young man releases her. She slips away. Instantly, she feels the pain of the loss. He looks away, closing his eyes. Maybe trying to fool himself into believing that she isn't about to leave him. Nathalie suffers from the opposite problem. Whilst she needs to turn away and get back to work, just closing up her suitcase at this point, she struggles to take her gaze off of the young man. She feels nothing but pity for him, aware that these next few weeks are not going to be very kind to him. He'll be eighteen soon enough. She'll call him tonight, she reasons, explain things a little more in detail to him. Let her know that in a few weeks, none of this will matter… He'll be eighteen after all.

There's the sound of footsteps, they come into the room. Terror grips her. Adrien's head snaps up. The fear and pain are pushed aside. Instead, he finds himself faced with, as he sees it, the man who is trying to tear away one of the few comforts in his life. He goes wild. Perhaps it's instinct, demanding that he does what he can to protect himself and those close to him from the perceived threat or maybe he's been hurt one too many times. Nathalie doesn't have enough time to think about it any further as he steps past her, taking long menacing strides.

"You!" The teen spits out hatefully. "You bastard!"

Gabriel is only just fast enough to duck and avoid the fist which is swung in his direction. Startled, he still isn't quite in combat-mode when Adrien slams into him. She pushes his father back as if the man is made out of cardboard.

The man grimaces in pain. His son has managed to place his right arm against the throat of his parent pushing his weight against it to an extent that it's a wonder if he can still breathe. As much as Nathalie might actually want to see the man get what's coming to him and this feels an awful lot like him reaping what he's been sowing for years now, she can see scope for this potentially ending in tragedy. Adrien is enraged. His father doesn't have a miraculous and genuinely seems to be taken aback by his son's aggression. He's not defending himself. The boy isn't fourteen anymore, she reminds herself, he could easily do some serious damage.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spots Emilie. Staring wide-eyed with horror and perhaps some fear, it's clear that she's not going to do anything to stop this. No doubt she's struggling to even believe what's happening. So it's Nathalie who moves forwards to try and stop them. She speads up when she hears Adrien bellow:

"I'll kill you!"

"Adrien stop it!"

The woman reaches out carefully and puts her arm around his forearm. She doesn't attempt to pull him away. He's physically stronger than she is and the last thing that she wants is for him to panic and assume that he's being attacked. So her efforts have to be gentle. Her intention is simply to snap him back into reality and remind him just who he is. It's a technique she's used before on occasion and has already proven its worth. Then again… It's been a while since she's seen him this angry...

Nathalie is on the floor. Why does it take him so long to realize that?!

He can only stare helplessly at the woman. Her eyes are screwed shut. Is she even breathing? The young man wants to say something, to scream but nothing will come out. It's clear that she's in a certain amount of pain. After a few moments however, she manages to pull herself together. Her eyes flutter open and drift up to meet his. She's hurt. Not just physically, that much is apparent but there's something else there. It's only present for a second before she's manages to regain control and banish it once more. It's a little too late however, he's already spotted it. That unmistakable look of betrayal.

It's not so much the fact that she's been hurt, so much as the one responsible for it. Adrien freezes, takes a couple of steps back, releasing his father in the process. D-Did he strike her? He shakes his head slowly, tears trying to come but somehow unable to do so. After a few moments, she struggles to her feet. If she can get to her knees easily enough, upon standing up, she winces and almost crashes back down once more. She's caught however by the boy's mother.

"Nathalie are you alright?" Emilie asks, helping the woman to her feet.

"Yes. I just slipped."

She isn't. It's apparent a moment later that she's limping. She winces once and tries to conceal her pain but the fact that her limb isn't playing game is much more challenging to hide. Ultimately, she ends up sitting on the edge of her bed whilst they have Gorilla load her stuff into the car for her whilst she spends a few quiet moments recovering. Adrien's parents even leave the room, giving the two of them a few moments alone.

It's silence that reigns over them however. Adrien can scarcely bring himself to even look at the woman and she's too shaken up to speak. Although sitting there, she appears outwardly at least to be relatively docile. Once more, the time comes for them to part. Her words, few in number struggle to register with him. So she takes his hand for an instant, squeezes it gently. He doesn't even turn to look at her. The woman doesn't insist, slipping out silently.

It takes him a few moments (and for Plagg to start nagging him) to pull himself together, to realize just what exactly is happening and what he stands to lose. Everything else fades away as he comes to terms with the fact that Nathalie Sancoeur is about to walk out of the door. In a flash, he rushes out, charging as fast as his legs will carry him. He makes it to the staircase just as she steps out of the door. She lingers there for a moment, spotting him out of the corner of eye no doubt. Her sorrowful gaze rests on the young man just a moment. She gives him a small nod before disappearing.

He gets the message. If she'll be there, not in person but in spirit. He can reach out to her if he needs it.

Right now however, he feels as if he's all on his own.


	26. To breathe fresh air

**_Author's notes: Thanks for the review._**

**_/_**

Cat Noir tears through the skies high about the city. He bounds so quickly, barely even touching the rooftops that to some, it might seem as though he's flying. In truth, his blood is on fire. He's screaming internally. It's pain, rage and a terrible sense of loneliness which drives him forwards into the night.

He can't stop. He feels that if he stops, then everything will catch back up with him and it'll all be over. No. Up here, at the very least, he has a certain sense of freedom. Albeit one which comes with a certain price. He's angry, furious. Even the crisp evening air isn't enough to clear his head and get rid of the terrible sense of injustice or the hole that's been left inside of his chest. He isn't even thinking all that much. There is no specific destination in his mind. His sole goal is to get away, to escape. So he runs, forces himself to go further and further until his muscles burn and his blood is on fire.

His miraculous allows him to go for far longer than a regular human being. For all that, he does eventually tire. He comes to a stop on a rooftop… Someplace… He's not too sure where he is. The Eiffel Tower is little more than a bright dot in the distance.

Perhaps now he's come far enough to be able to think a little more clearly. There's no more Gabriel to scare him. His mother isn't here to try and steer him one way or another. He can just think. He makes the mistake of changing back. It removes his protection, leaving him exposed to the folly of what he's just done. The pain from his muscles and bones however, in some strange way, allows him to focus just a little bit easier. Plagg is tired too and doesn't seem to appreciate the necessity for the run. So his partner slips him a bit of cheese in the hopes that it'll buy him a few more moments.

It's frustrating to discover that there are no stars out tonight. He remembers what Nathalie had told him. They're there. There's just too much light coming from the city to be able to make them out.

Nathalie… It's only been a few hours and still he misses her bitterly.

He knows where she lives. He could track her down beg her to let him stay with her. He won't be able to sleep in that house knowing that she's no longer there to protect him. It's silly. A part of him knows that there was only ever so much that she could ever have done to physically shield him. All the same, the prospect of finding himself alone, without her, is a truly terrifying one. He can't go to her though. How long would it be before his parents turned to her to discover just where their only son had come to find shelter? Then what… If she was right, it would see her carted off to prison. He can't do that to her… Going back would be selfish. It remains impossibly tempting however.

There's something else which lingers on his mind however. She'd been knocked to the ground. He can remember that much but how had it happened. He was the culprit apparently. At least that's what his mother had told him. She'd broken the news to him as gently as possible, almost fearfully. He doesn't want to believe it. No matter how much he casts his mind back, he can't remember committing such a heinous act. He would never- He couldn't have hurt her.

No… The teen grits his teeth as he thinks back to it, that same anger takes over. It had been his father the one to start it. He's the one who sent Nathalie away…

"Adrien..." Plagg speaks to him as she sits up. "I can tell you're all worked up-"

"I could kill him..." He growls just thinking about the man gets his blood to boil.

"You know that wouldn't be..." The kwami shook his head, forcing himself to remain calm. "You're better than that Adrien."

"Why should I be? Whenever I'm kind, it's spat back at me! How long did I spend playing the "perfect boy"?! I did everything they ever wanted from me! Then as soon as I want something for myself, as soon as I have something good in my life – if it doesn't fit in with them – they tear it away!"

The mere thought of it makes him furious. It's probably a good thing for anyone who might be passing down below that there aren't any small items that would easily fit into his hand as he feels the sudden urge to throw something. The frustration and page are building up to form an itch that he can't quite scratch. It's maddening. He wants – needs, to take it out on something but knows that it's not possible. So he breathes deeply, anger at the injustice seeping through his tightly clenched teeth. His head is pounding.

_Is this what going mad feels like? _He suddenly found himself thinking in a few seconds of lucidity.

Plagg hasn't given up however. He floats near to his partner, ensuring that he can look the teen in his eyes. Something about the situation suddenly strikes Adrien as being somewhat absurd in the most literal sense of the word. Since when has the kwami been the voice of sound reason and patience for the two of them? He must seriously have gone off of the rails if he was resorting to turning to his friend for life advice. Usually, the soundest advice that can be taken from the creature is to do pretty much the opposite of whatever he suggests. Still, as he fixes him, there's a softness behind his green eyes which manages to touch his heart. Calming him just a little bit.

Eventually, the creature sits down on his lap, eating the last few pieces of his cheese as he watches the young man thoughtfully.

"You're eighteen in a little over a month. Your parents won't be able to control you. You'll be free."

"I know..." It's something of a reluctant concession. "-but until then..."

"Until then, you've got me and Marinette and your friends." When Adrien looks away back towards the city, his partner floats up to settle on his hand so as to no longer be possible to ignore. "You can still visit Nathalie. They can't stop you from doing that."

No… They can't. That's a comfort. Soon, they will have no say in his life. He will be free. After that, he can go and do whatever he likes. In the meantime, he isn't alone. There are others who will be there for him. His friends, they might not know the whole story but at least he can spend time with them to escape. Marinette is always warm and kind. She'll help him through the worst of it. He knows that she will. He closes his eyes, allowing their faces to fill his imagination for a few moments.

Nathalie however, he can't think back to her without seeing the way that she had looked at him lying there on the cold marble floor. He can't and won't deny it now.

"I hurt her Plagg..." Is all that he can think to mutter.

"Yeah… You lashed out." The kwami speaks to him softly. "You didn't _want_ to."

"I know but… I just get so angry. She shouldn't have been hurt." He grits his teeth, resentful. "It's my fault."

"Apologize to her. She'll understand. She knows you."

He wants to believe the kwami. It's cold up here on the roof. The wind blows a chill over him. Still, he can't bring himself to move. This has taken too much out of him. Plagg snuggles up to him, a little bundle of warmth on a lonely night. Macaroon's back at home but nothing else which makes him inclined to return back. There's no more Nathalie waiting for him at the mansion with comforting words and if necessary a warm embrace. He closes his eyes, the pain from his charge is slowly fading away.

For all that, he doesn't head home. Not immediately… There's too much stampeding through his mind. He's alone and yet he isn't. A contradiction in terms perhaps but to Adrien, it's the only way to describe the crippling feeling of loneliness which weighs heavily upon him.


	27. Solace

_**Author's note: Thanks again for all of the reviews. I'm afraid I forgot to answer your question Guest when I posted the last chapter, regarding Felix and Amelie. When Building on Rubble was written, they hadn't appeared in the series yet. Even in retrospect, I don't think that they would have fit into the fic all that well. As for this one... Well, spoilers.**_

_**/**_

The vacation doesn't end quite fast enough for his liking. What should only be a matter of days seems to drag on for months.

He avoids his parents to the best of his ability, both of them. He refuses to eat in their presence so goes to the chef himself to get his meal. The man is confused but ultimately doesn't argue with a member of the household, especially not one who seems to be as permanently angry as Adrien is right now. He's still getting his food though which presumably indicates that neither Mr. nor Mrs. Agreste have it in them to cut of his supplies. Perhaps they worry that he would rather starve than eat with them, maybe he would. His hatred isn't rational or predictable enough for him to think that far ahead or give any certainties. He's only seen them on a handful of occasions and they've yet to exchange more than a handful of words.

That suits Adrien just fine. His current plan is just to try and forget about them and pretend that he's living alone. It's not that much of a challenge in a place as big as the mansion. So long as he's either locked safely in his room or outside walking the dog, he's fine. It's at night that he struggles the most, when the nightmares come back to haunt him. Plagg does what he can and Macaroon is as usual an anchor, something real for him to hold on to. Still, he misses Nathalie. Even those times when she hadn't said anything, just settled next to him and waited the worst of it out, no matter how many hours she ended up sitting down in the moonlight waiting for the teen to pull himself together… Now he wakes up and feels alone. It's as if one of his nightmares has become real.

He still talks to Marinette but has been reluctant to abandon the fortress which has become his room for any amount of time for fear that he'll end up dragging her into his own problems. He doesn't want his parents going after the Dupain-Chengs the same way as they targeted Nathalie. So most of his communications with her have been over the phone.

The morning that he's due to return to school, he gets up early, grabs a few _viennoiseries_ from the kitchen, some orange juice and some milk. Eats them in his bedroom after feeding Macaroon. He takes the dog for a walk and then slips out once more. All of this he manages without being spotted by his parents. Perhaps they do know and simply aren't inclined to give chase or hunt him. He doesn't particularly care. So long as they stay away from him.

Marinette is waiting for him by the gates; eager, anxious.

He sees her eyes widen upon seeing him an instantly knows that it's not good news. Something's amiss. His fears are confirmed a moment later. She rushes over and puts her arms around his neck, pulling him in close. He welcomes her embrace, it's the warmest he's received in a while. The young man tries to lose himself in it but can't quite manage to do so. It's probably because of the curious and prying eyes.

"You look terrible..." At least she's honest.

"Do I?" He's not too sure if he cares or not.

He feels his girlfriend reach out and stroke her cheek. The somewhat rougher than normal sensation, although she is being very delicate, informs him that he hasn't shaven in a day or so. His mind has been distracted, such things seem unimportant.

Try as he might, he doesn't get the same feeling of comfort as he usually would from Marinette. He feels… It's a strange sensation really, one which he struggles to put to words, even inside of his own mind. It's sort of a disconnect really. The space between his dreams and the place which he deems and believes to be really is wearing thin. As a result, everything has been taking on something of a surreal or maybe unreal aspect. He finds himself growing numb. Maybe he's just tired. It's not as if sleep comes very easily to him anymore and that which he has is often disturbed one way or another.

Marinette must sense his heaviness, that he's functioning more slowly than usual. She doesn't insist. Instead, she reaches into her bag and hands him a small box. He can already tell what it is or rather they are. Sure enough, upon inspection, he finds himself faced with five passion fruit macaroons. Looking up, the teen gives her a grateful smile:

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome. Look, I know that-" The bell goes, causing Marinette to let out a frustrated sigh before telling him: "We'll talk about this over lunch."

She doesn't give him any choice about that much and he doesn't argue. He'll follow orders from Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Throughout the next four hours, he manages to work his way through the box. They're a pleasant reminder of what he's missed. They're sweet and bring him all the memories of the past that he's almost forgotten. In short, they manage to cheer him up. He discretely shares a few pieces with Plagg. He eats them, although he'd prefer some cheese. One day, Marinette will perfect the Camembert macaroon. Until then, he's trapped with stinky dairy products in his pockets.

The teen drifts through his lectures. He reasons that he must look quite bad as one of his teachers actually stops him at the end of the lesson and asks if he's alright. Initially, he gets the feeling that they think that he's ill. Then, the question discretely moves onto his family. Adrien has, over the years, perfected the art of lying. Ironic given that he loathes doing so, unlike Lila who always seems to take some pleasure in it. All the same, he's more than capable of mustering a smile, assuring them that everything's alright and that he's just a bit tired and preoccupied by the end of year exams. He's not convinced that the excuse flies but he is treated to a ten minute reminder that he needs to take care of himself.

Lunchtime comes around. Once more, he's forced to put on an act as he finds himself sitting at the same table as Alya and Nino as well as his girlfriend. His story is more or less the same, although he does put some of the blame on his father and the man's high expectations. Why not? It's about time that he takes some of the blame for what's going on in his son's life. They express their sympathy.

It's a while before he's able to spend a few moments alone with Marinette. The young woman doesn't make any attempt to conceal her concern. They find a secluded park bench in a nearby park and settle down there. She doesn't snuggle up to him as she might usually have done. For all that, she stays near to him. They spend a few moments in silence, to an extent where he doesn't know if she's expecting him to open up to her without any prompting. If she is, then he disappoints her as he has no particular desire to. It's not any feeling of secrecy which grips Adrien so much as a lassitude. He simply can't be bothered… it doesn't seem all that important.

"Nathalie told me what had happened… Well… Emailed me the story." She lets out a soft sigh, folding her hands on her lap. "I'd ask how you're holding up but I think I can tell."

"It's rough." He doesn't attempt to conceal that much from her. "I miss her."

"Have you talked?"

Adrien just shrugs. He's a bit nervous. The last time he'd seen her, he'd knocked the woman to the ground. He doesn't know how to approach her after that. It's shame that grips him, prevents him from running to the side of the woman who has cared for them these past few years and whom he loves as a mother.

He realizes that it's not exactly what Marinette wants or had been hoping to hear. She probably hadn't been expecting to be told that everything was hunky dory with him. This was no doubt a little bit worse than she had been expecting. At least with Nathalie, there was some sort of sense that if things truly got out of hand, he wasn't alone and there would be someone present to make sure that he was safe. Without her, it's a bit like their legs have been knocked out from underneath them. Ladybug has already discussed matters with Master Fu. He isn't comfortable. This all seems like something of a trap of some description. Adrien is now at home, helpless and essentially at the mercy of his parents without his other guardian to watch over and protect him. There's Plagg of course but he's tied to the ring.

She lets out a soft sigh and reaches out. Gently, she places both of her hands atop of one of his. It draws his attention and pulls him out of whatever distant place he had been trapped. He's back with her, if not 100% then at least mostly.

"Promise me you'll talk to her..."

"I will..." His gaze softens ever-so-slightly as he fixes her.

"And..." Her voice trails off. This is the question that she dreads asking. "What about your parents?"

He tenses up almost instantly. The affection is gone from behind his eyes, replaced instead with a darkness. It's not directed towards her, much to her relief. He's quick to look away however, instead turning his gaze so that it faces out in front of him. Has she upset him? Almost certainly. Perhaps a better question would be to ask if he actually resents her for asking. He's on edge to such an extent sometimes that she plainly doesn't know how to handle matters. She's afraid of pushing him just that little bit too far. She's never done it… But there's something about that harshness which takes over and that she gets the feeling that it could be terrible if unleashed.

He snarls. It's an ugly sound that just comes out:

"What about em'?"

"Are you talking?"

"No!" The mere notion seems to be abhorrent to him. "As if I would! I couldn't-"

"Easy..." He's raising his voice, losing control. So she does her best to calm him. "I was just asking..."

Adrien looks surprised. Not by her words but rather by his own actions. Is he even in control of them anymore? For the first time, Marinette finds herself not entirely comfortable around her boyfriend. She's not afraid, not quite yet but she is cautious and it's not just his welfare that she has on her mind. The girl pauses the time to catch her breath and to try and clear her head a little bit. She wants and needs to be thinking clearly before she dares to proceed. As much as she would like to leave things where they are and move on to happier and easier subjects to discuss, she knows that she can't quite, not yet.

The matter which remains to be addressed is both a serious one but also something which she dares to hope might serve to ease some of his worries. She leaves it a few moments, still holding onto his hand.

"Listen Adrien… If you think that your parents are trying anything, you call me okay or come and see or Master Fu or something..." She stops herself when she realizes that emotion is getting the better of her. "What I'm trying to say is please, don't hesitate to come to me..."

"I would never..." His voice cuts short suddenly, caught with emotion. There's some water behind those green eyes of his. "Thanks Marinette."

She holds off of hugging him, sensing that he doesn't necessarily need it. Her presence is enough for the time being. She doesn't release his hand as she gets to her feet, pulling him somewhat in the process. He puts up only a little resistance, not because he's particularly attached to this bench but simply as a result of the general lassitude which has taken hold of him. She smiles understandingly but insists none-the-less. After a few instants, he pulls himself together enough to actually stand. She doesn't give him enough time to contemplate the matter any further than that. Instead, the young woman slips her arm through his, pressing her cheek against his side. He blinks at her a few times, evidently surprised.

"Come on… I don't care what your schedule is now, a girl's got to be able to spend some time with her boyfriend..."

It doesn't take much more convincing for Adrien to smile and allow himself to be lead along.


	28. Pulling punches

The view outside of his window never changes. Well, not enough. At most, he sees the occasional car or person go past. There are so few though… Sometimes it feels like the world has frozen.

He tries to avoid being idle for long periods, fully aware that it doesn't do him much good as it causes his mind to drift and wander. That, over prolonged periods, has already proven itself to be damaging. More often than not, he finds himself able to remain occupied. It's not much of a challenge. He has Macaroon to take care off. Such a large dog needs to be taken for frequent walks which provide his owner with the perfect opportunity to get outside and stretch his legs, escaping the building which once more feels like it's become a prison. When he is forced to return home, he doesn't leave his bedroom. Inside, he's easily able to distract himself with school work and revision. When he's not doing that, he turns to his phone, sends messages to his friends. He wants to call Marinette but holds off from doing it excessively, about once a day seems to be appropriate, they chat and he doesn't feel quite so alone.

Inevitably however, there are times when the replies are just a little bit slow in coming and when he can't face diving back into his school work. So Plagg is there for him. He's aware that the kwami is making an effort to make all of this just that little bit more bearable for him and he'd grateful, not that he's ever managed to articulate that much. For whatever reason, his feelings seem to be just that little bit distant and unclear to him. It's almost as if he's out of touch with them somehow.

Occasionally however, he does find himself alone with his thoughts. As alone as he can be with Plagg and Macaroon in the same room. He sits there, looking out over the city. His kwami perched on his shoulder, whilst with his right hand, he mindlessly pets Macaroon. His thoughts are spinning around. He's acutely aware of the fact that a few months ago, he would have been sat down in the lounge, Nathalie would have been there with him. They might not actually have chatted all that much. Some evenings were pretty quiet but at least he wouldn't have been cooped up here like this; a voluntary prisoner.

There's a presence he's been trying his best to ignore for a while now. It gnaws at him, although he's proving to be remarkably stubborn. It's as if by keeping his gaze focused exclusively on what's going on outside of his window – which isn't all that much right now, it has to be said – he hopes that he might be able to will his reality away.

"Adrien." The voice is firm and leaves little scope for him ignore it any further.

Slowly, the teen turns round. His green gaze meets the figure of a tall man. His father doesn't appear to be quite as uptight and formal as he usually is. His posture, whilst not relaxed, certainly isn't formal or menacing. The man actually appears to be tired. His gaze isn't as sharp as it usually is. There's an acceptance when he receives a hostile and hateful look from his own flesh and blood which is clear intended to drive him away. The man refuses to budge however and this officially becomes the first time that he has invaded the teen's safe space.

"How long is this going to last?"

Adrien doesn't know how to answer such a question.

It's not something he's given much though to plainly because since Nathalie was sent away, he's not even contemplated what his future with his parents would look like. He hates both of them, although at this point, he's not able to say if it's in equal measure. He doesn't know which one masterminded all of this or if it was some form of concerted effort. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter. Both would have been in on it which in his mind makes them both culprits, responsible with wounding him deeply. They must have known that it would hurt him and yet they'd gone ahead with it anyhow. That would make the answer to his father initial question: indefinitely or forever.

The only way that he finds to express such a sentiment in through giving his father a look charged with unbridled rage and hatred. It's as much of a warning as anything else, telling the man that he had better back off. Plagg floats near him, eyeing the intruder cautiously. There's no Nathalie here to pull the teen off of the older man should he snap and snapping is something which is terribly tempting right now. Gabriel is fazed but once more, he doesn't back down.

"Can't we start again? Go back to being father and son… All those years, I thought that's what you wanted."

Adrien turns away rather than respond. Are his father's words having an effect on him or is he simply wrestling with the urge to punch the man in the face? Time trickles by but still the teen refuses to turn around or otherwise acknowledge the man's presence. The message is clear. The man's stubborn refusal to leave tells his son something in itself. Perhaps this is things finally coming to a head, the inevitable conflict which has been brewing over the course of the past few days and which he's been struggling to postpone for fear of the consequences which it might potentially entail.

His father grits his teeth, growing increasingly irritated with the situation. He never was the most patient of men and the current situation is trying every last nerve in his body. It would be easy to give in to the urge to force a change, to snap at the son who up until only a few years ago more or less obeyed his parents' every command because they were the only world that he knew.

"You forgave Nathalie!" He reminds the teenager dryly. "Why forgive her and not your own father?!"

Adrien tenses up and for a moment, his father assumes that his temper is going to flare and that he will attack either verbally or physically. Even Plagg seems to be bracing himself to help his partner or to ensure that he doesn't take things too far? He lets out a sigh however and all of that stiffness vanishes. His shoulders slump and his head hangs low. He seems to be exhausted.

He's spent himself emotionally a thousand times over and now has nothing left the give. In those few instants, Adrien simply drifts away. All of the defenses that he's built around himself disappear. They don't collapse so much as ebb away, their creator is simply too tired to bother maintaining them any longer. So he does something that even when the two of them were relatively close, the man's son would have hesitated to do for fear of the consequences. He answers the question as honestly as he could with a truth which under other circumstances he might otherwise have attempted to conceal.

"I spent a year wanting to forgive you." He speaks quietly but calmly. "You spat it back in my face. You were never there for me. If I hadn't gone to school that one time, I'd have spent the rest of my days cooped up in my room. Then when I left… Nathalie never told me why she was so panicked but I can guess… I wanted to forgive you as Dylan. I used to hope and pray that you'd stop but you didn't. You got worse and worse. That night in the Grand Palais. You left me for dead."

"I didn't know it was you!" The man's tone is uncharacteristically soft, almost pleading. "I would never have-"

"I still get nightmares you know." At this point, it's a fair bet that they've heard some of the shouts and screams he sometimes lets out despite himself. "I can feel the metal tearing into my skin and the pain from where you _stabbed_ me. I can't go in a room much smaller than a toilet without getting panic attacks. Every second I'm around you, it's not my father that I see… It's Hawk Moth and you want me to just act as if nothing happened?!"

Gabriel doesn't answer. He stares at his son for a few moments. Is this news to him? Adrien can't tell and truth be told, he doesn't particularly care either way. He's got it out of his system. His father now cannot possibly claim to be ignorant of what he has forced his flesh and blood to endure and what the young man is suffering through on a daily basis. He only wishes that there were a way to make his parent feel some of what troubles him. If Hawk Moth could experience the pain and terror would that make anything better?

The silence that settles in is difficult to endure for both of them. Gabriel is reticent to speak. What can he say in the face of such a declaration from his son? He could apologize. It's tempting, if only because it would be a gesture. There's no changing what had happened between them. Adrien had almost been killed by his carelessness and in return, the then fifteen-year-old had come close to slaying his own father. Both events will no doubt haunt the two of them till the end of their days.

It's the son who ends up continuing when his father opts to remain silent. It's one of the occasions where an absence of words can speak just as much as their presence.

"I actually might have forgiven you, eventually..." He lets out in a sigh before finally raising his gaze to meet his father. The hatred behind his eyes is only too clear. "-but you went and sent away Nathalie. Why'd you do it? Just cause she didn't fit in with your plans?"

He's expecting a harsh response, a reminder that Nathalie is nothing more to the family than just another member of staff. That or something a little harsher. He knows that the two of them hadn't exactly been on good terms the last time that they had met. The young man waits patiently, expecting to hear just a handful of words which he knows will trigger him, give him all the reason he needs to lose control and lash out.

Instead, to the teen's considerable surprise, Gabriel remains silent. He lowers his head, averting his gaze. In doing so, his attention ends up falling on the framed picture on the boy's dresser. Had he been in the room a week or so earlier, he would doubtlessly have realized that a few of the pictures have been removed. Destroyed or merely hidden away some place? Adrien himself was yet to decide about that much. There can be no denying as he contemplates the image that it's apparent that the two of them care for one another, probably more. There's some shame behind the man's eyes as he turns back to see his son.

"I didn't have a choice. I realize it must have hurt you and-" His voice trails off for a moment as he considers his son for a moment. "I'm sorry."

The only reaction that he gets is to be stared at as if it's the first time that Adrien's ever laid eyes on him. The teen seems… Puzzled, perhaps a little bit surprised. An apology isn't something that he'd ever backed on receiving from a man as proud as his father, especially not on a subject like the one which they were currently addressing. He blinks a few times, struggling to process just what he's heard and unsure how to react.

After a while, Adrien simply turns away. He does so comparatively brusquely. It's a clear message that he wants to be left alone.

Gabriel lingers however, reluctant to leave the young man alone. He can see just how tired his son is, that the teen has lost weight and is nearing his limit. As Adrien rests his head against the windowsill under the concerned gaze of his kwami. Only Macaroon seems to be blissfully unaware of the weight of the situation as he rests his head on his owner's lap enjoying receiving a scratch behind his ears. His father allows him a few more moments, perhaps hoping that his presence might be enough to break through some of the barriers and appeal to the young man. So he waits, in vain. Finally, the man lets out in a sigh:

"Please Adrien… You're not well."

"So now you care about me?" There's a cutting tone to his voice.

"This isn't healthy." His father pleads with him.

The teen remains silent. He lowers his head ever-so-slightly. Is he acknowledging that his father is correct? He must be able to sense that his current course of action is destructive, just as much for himself as for those around him. He shifts but keeps his gaze on his father.

They stay like that for a while. Everything that has happened and has been said weighs both heavily and silently between the two of them. It's hard to judge if there's still any anger present, it's not being openly expressed. The resentment is clear however. To this particular problem, there is no miracle cure to be found. Gabriel can see that now. No amount of talking or reasoning with his son is going to be enough to convince Adrien to give it another try or even to contemplate forgiving them. Even tolerating his parents - or as he likely sees them his tormentors' - presence is proving to be a sizable challenge.

Finally, his patience wears thin and this time, the teen raises his voice, letting the rage which dwells beneath shine through for a few instants:

"Get out of my room."

Upon hearing the order being actually formulated and directed to him in such a fashion, Gabriel tenses up. He looks to his son in a manner which practically pleas with the young man to stop this but only for a second. The man knows that this isn't going to get him anywhere and as a result yields. He leaves silently without another word. There isn't the sense that this is an argument, there's no ill-feeling behind his departure, only bitter regret. Before he leaves, he can't help but afford his son one last look.

The young man pays him no heed. He's gone back to focusing on the world outside. He presses his forehead against the cool glass, finding something soothing in the chilling sensation. Plagg waits until he's certain that Gabriel has left the room and keeps his gaze on the door just for that little bit longer, keen to ensure that they aren't about to get another visit. When he's confident that they're going to be left alone, he floats over to his partner and settles on the lad's shoulder. He doesn't get much of a reaction. No doubt, once more Adrien's drifted off to whatever place he's spending so much time at the moment.

The kwami knows that it's unlikely they'll do much chatting tonight. No doubt he'll just want to take the dog for a walk and then call it a day. He's shutting himself off more and more, no doubt it's some form of self-preservation instinct. Plagg doesn't question it. Instead, he chooses to attempt to comfort his partner to the best of his ability:

"Not long now kid… You just need to be patient a little while longer..."


	29. Homeward bound

**_Author's note: First of all Merry Christmas to everyone. Thanks again for all of the reviews._**

**_/_**

Over the past few years in Paris, it's become more or less an accepted fact that Ladybug and Cat Noir are always watching. They don't always intervene. In a city which is no longer plagued by magical butterflies or cursed feathers, there isn't as much need to call upon the city's heroes. After all, the local authorities are better suited to deal with things such as fires and minor crimes than they ever were akumas. For all that, if ever something seems to pose somewhat more a threat be it an accident of some description or a more malevolent threat, the two masked vigilantes can usually be trusted to make an appearance. In that respect, they are a fearsome deterrent for many troublemakers.

Usually…

There's always someone who's determined to make a name for themselves or who believes that they'll somehow be different. For the most part, Paris' heroes like to prove them wrong.

That night, there's a robbery. An armed one. Rather than risk the lives of officers, it's the two miraculous holders who head off in pursuit. It's relatively easy for them to follow the flashing lights and sirens. Unlike their targets, they aren't bound by such things as traffic or the rule of the road. A message is sent out, the cops slow and eventually give up tailing. It's prompts the crooks to slow down just a little, making the streets just a bit safer. Still, neither Ladybug nor Cat Noir make their move. Instead, they content themselves will following from the rooftops, ensuring that they aren't spotted and allowing their targets to believe that they've gotten away with it.

Eventually, they come to a stop, underneath an underpass somewhere on the edge of the city. It's anything but a glamorous spot. There's only two crooks. Enough to give a jeweler a scare and make off with a fair amount of loot however. They watch for a few moments, waiting for the right moment. As powerful as they are, it's best not to be caught off-guard, not where bullets are concerned.

They appear to be waiting but as of yet, nobody has shown themselves. It presents the two of them with something of a dilemma: do they attack right now or wait and make sure that these two don't have backup? The discussion is held silently between the two of them. A few looks, the odd glance or tilt of the head, they've been at this so long that it's all more or less instinctive.

They attack together, moving quickly and quietly. Adrien's not too sure how they'd fare if they were to actually get hit by bullets, whilst a part of him is inclined to assume that the power of the miraculous would protect them like it does with things such as falls or impacts which arguably should have meant either death or serious injury, on the other hand, it's not something that he particularly wants to put to the test. So he's cautious. They both are, they ensure that they attack before the criminals have enough time to realize what's happening.

Ladybug lands the first blow. Before either of the two men have the opportunity to realize quite what's happening, her yo-yo strikes one of them on the forehead. The time it takes for his companion to turn around, process just what's happening and reach for his weapon, Cat Noir's brought his staff down a top his shoulder. He lets out a shriek of pain. Adrien spins around bringing his weapon crashing into the man's legs. It works wonderfully, tripping him. He's on the concrete in the space of a second.

The heroes make quick work of tying up the two goons. The police should be here soon enough. On occasion, they've been known to drop them off at the station. Tonight however, both opt to stay here. If nothing else, they can't leave the vehicle full of loot. It's far too tempting a target for any curious onlookers. Thankfully, their captives seem to be smart enough to know that it's probably on balance best not to push their luck.

"Not a pun in sight, Kitty?" Ladybug's tone is playful but doesn't entirely mask her concern.

"Nothing funny about these two clowns..." Is the muttered response that she gets.

She doesn't push him any further than she has already. They wait in silence until the sirens are heard and blue lights appear. The two heroes don't make a fuss about handing over their two prisoners. Smiling (well, Ladybug does at least) for a couple of photos from eager journalists before departing and taking to the rooftops.

Ladybug follows him. She makes no secret of it. It's a silent request for him to stop and for the two of them to be able to chat. He does so eventually, settling down on a rooftop. His stance however, crouched down, as if he's prepared to leap away, lets her know that he isn't easy. As such, his girlfriend maintains some distance. She knows Adrien, is aware that whilst he's usually the tactile sort but like everyone, from time to time he isn't so eager. Just the way he looks at her, he doesn't need warmth or affection, not right now. Any attempts to hug him or even just take his hand, it won't be pushed away or met with hostility but they won't comfort him.

So she looks at him sympathetically. It's hard to know what's going on behind those green eyes of his. Some suffering no doubt. Tonight, she realizes, the matters are out of her control. There's someone else better suited for this particular task:

"Go to Nathalie." It's a gentle order. "You've waited long enough."

Adrien fixes her for a few moments, it's impossible to read his thoughts. She thinks though, that there might be a very little glimmer behind his orbs. Is it hope, fear or love? She can't tell but after a few moments, he nods. He'll do it. She breathes a little easier.

Nathalie Sancoeur will be home at this time. Adrien knows her schedule well enough – or at least he thinks that he did – it occurs to him as he walks down the street, hands in his jean pockets and hood pulled up so that nobody will recognize him. In his mind, it's hard to shake the image of the way that she had looked up at him that night he'd knocked her to the ground. More than once, he comes to a stop, he even turns around twice.

There's something that makes him continue on however. It's an almost childish feeling of being lost and longing for what in his mind has become the only maternal figure he can still trust. He needs to hear her voice, listen to her words although he has a feeling that a few of them will be harsh, instructing himself to pull himself back together. What time is it? She might have cooked dinner. Nathalie can cook. She prepares nice, simple meals. It's chilly enough for her to have maybe prepared _adobar_… He can almost taste the beef stew now. For the first time in weeks, he actually feels hungry. With every step, there's a growing feeling of excitement, a longing.

He's been to Nathalie's apartment before. She rents it, living in a decent part of town, residential and away from the main hub of the capital which can be something of a tourist trap. As a result, the space is greatly less than that offered by the mansion which would make just the two of them living there something of a squeeze, although not quite as bad as the dump that Dylan and Delphine had called home. That and as she had pointed out to him when he'd suggested they didn't return to his house and instead made her place their home, people would wonder why Adrien Agreste was living with his father's assistant. He regrets it now. It would have been nice. He could have put up with sleeping on the couch, he's demonstrated that in the past. It would have made for a more manageable space without the cavernous and at times empty feel and most certainly wouldn't have harbored quite the same number of ghosts.

He knows the access code which grants him access to the stairwell, Nathalie had made him memorize it should he ever need either a safe-space or to come find her. He wonders if she had ever envisioned such a scenario as this one. He wouldn't have put it past the woman, she always seems to have planned almost everything out. That in itself is comforting. He's convinced himself that she'll know some manner of secret, some way to take the pain away and make everything better again.

When he reaches the entrance on the forth floor, he finds himself coming to a stop. He curses under his breath. He'd left the mansion as Cat Noir and ensured that his window was open to allow for his return. As a result, he hadn't bothered bringing along his keys. They were more of a liability than anything else as he always feared what would happen if he lost them or if someone found one of Paris' superheroes with one of Adrien Agreste's possessions. A few years ago, _Man_ had had a key to her front door cut and presented it to him, "_just in case_". That leaves him there with no way to let himself in.

It isn't an issue. He merely knocks.

He waits a while but to his considerable surprise there isn't an answer. He checks the old watch that she gave him and that now seldom leaves his wrist, it's too early for her to be in bed. So why doesn't she answer? Plagg checks for him, fazing through the door. He's gone only a few moments before reappearing.

"She isn't in."

The news comes as something of a surprise to him, if only because he doesn't know where else she would be. The only family that he knows she has is _Mamita_ way down south and there's no way that she would have gone back to Provence without telling him, especially not at a time like this. Has something happened to her? He does his best to calm himself and rationalize the situation. Perhaps she merely went out to get some takeaway or has found herself a new job that means she works late. Delphine's occupation had seen her coming home at all sorts of hours.

So the teen resolves not to panic, instead, he settles down on the step, determined to wait until she comes home. He feels sleepy sitting there and more than once feels himself begin to drift off. Plagg makes no attempt to wake him up. If anything, the kwami seems to encourage him to sleep promising to keep watch for him. Perhaps he does. Whatever the case, he finds himself unable to account for a portion of the time that he sits there and assumes that he did indeed doze for a bit.

There's a terrible familiar voice coming from downstairs. It causes him to ache as he realizes just how much he's been missing her. A painful reminder of what was taken from him a little over a week ago. Instantly, Adrien gets to his feet. It's a struggle not to charge down the stairs so as to be able to greet her. She won't know that he's here. It will be a surprise for her. He's going to give her a hug, the young man's decided that much already. It's the only way that he knows how to get across just what he's feeling and what he's been through and how much he's missed her.

He's about to take his first few steps towards her when a sudden realization hits him. It's a terribly simple one but carries with it some curious implications: he can hear her voice. She's talking to someone. It's a man's voice? They're coming up the stairs. Acting on instinct, Adrien silently pads up the next flight. He crouches down, shielding himself in the darkness to the best of his ability. From where he is, he can still see the door however. He waits with his heart in his mouth, unsure what he's about to discover.

Sure enough, he finds that the woman is accompanied. It's a man. A man that Adrien has never seen before. They're chatting, discussing matters but it doesn't sound incredibly serious or rather, it isn't business talk but rather personal.

"I can't help but worry about him..." He hears her say to the stranger.

"It's natural… You spent all time looking after him."

Adrien frowns considering the stranger from afar. There's something that swells up inside of him which he can't quite understand. If he were a dog or even a cat, he fancies that his hackles would be raised. Perhaps, if he weren't so taken aback by all of this he would have reacted more violently. In those few moments, he feels as though he might yet. He clenches his fists and grits his teeth. It takes quite a bit of willpower to stay where he is and not to storm over to the stranger and push him away from Nathalie.

He's close to her but by no means aggressive or pushy. It's simply more noticeable given that Nathalie for the most part prefers to keep people at arm's length. If anything, they seem to be at ease with one another which leads him to believe that they haven't met one another tonight… Initially, it looks as if they might be away to go their separate ways but then, to his considerable surprise, the woman invites the stranger inside.

What is this that he feels? Anger? Jealousy? Betrayal?

He needs to see, needs to confirm. With Plagg's help, he darts out of the building and onto the rooftop opposite. It takes him a few seconds to work out which window is Nathalie's. From his vantage point, he can see both her lounge and kitchen which are in the same area. In the time that it's taken for him to get to his current spot, the man has settled down and the apartment's owner is serving alcohol of some kind, probably wine knowing her. Adrien watches from afar as they chat. From this distance, he can't tell what they're discussing which is somewhat maddening for the teen who suddenly finds himself anxious to know everything about this… Relationship… As mysterious and unforeseen as it is.

He notes a few things: Nathalie is smiling, from time to time. She's never been a grinning jackanape, so to manage to earn such an open show of affection and amusement is clearly a sign that she must be comfortable around this stranger and appreciate him to at least a certain degree. For the briefest of moments, he wonders if they might conceivably be related. He knows, in the scheme of things comparatively little about the family of the woman who has been caring for him these past four years. It's not a subject that she ever seems terribly comfortable with so he's always avoided it in the past. She could have a brother or a cousin…

The notion is shattered when the two kiss. Adrien turns away at that point. He doesn't need to see anything else. What he's witnessed here tonight is enough…

He shifts so that his back is turned to the building. Thoughts and emotions spiral round in his head out of control. He breathes heavily, tugging at his hair. Alone, he wants to scream. Anything to release himself from the turmoil. Nothing comes out however, perhaps aside from the occasional whimper. Has he been forgotten about so quickly? For a while he reasons that he has. How often has he been told that Nathalie isn't his mother. She had no reason to shelter him or to put her own life on hold for a boy who isn't ever hers. Now that she's no longer his guardian, she isn't tied to him and can get on with her personal life… He thinks of her smile. It was something which was far too rare to see on her face.

The young man glances back towards the building one more time. The lights are off now. He'll let them sleep. Cat Noir takes off into the night and heads back towards the Agreste Mansion.

He slips in through the open window and is greeted by the ever excitable Macaroon. The dog jumps up. Adrien greets him warmly as he changes back into his civilian self. Plagg doesn't wait to be offered some cheese before flying over to his personal stash and helping himself. A moment later however, he's by his friend's side. Adrien is back to sitting on the floor, patting the creature on the head and scratching behind his ears.

"What was that about?"

"She was happy Plagg..." Adrien gives a watery smile at the notion. "The last thing that she needs right now is me dumping all of my issues on her."

"You idiot!" The kwami snaps at him aggressively. "She wouldn't have-"

"Plagg, just let it lie…" The teen requests, leaning back so as to rest his head against the wall behind him. "I'm too tired."

He wants to sleep. The kwami doesn't protest. The request from the young man isn't one which offers no prospect of resisting or rebelling. Adrien never gives absolute orders. For all that, Plagg knows full well not to push things. Instead, he flies over to the teen's bed and picks up the lad's blanket. Carrying it is something of a strain but he succeeds in doing so, dropping it down onto his partner. He grumbles a few words under his breath, a thank you of sorts as he settles back down with Macaroon next to him and Plagg curled up against his chest. Still, the teen's eyes can't help but rest upon the image sitting on the dresser. It was taken only a couple of years ago in simpler times…

Nathalie smiles and so does he. What he wouldn't give to go back to those times.


	30. Limits

**_Author's note: Officially the last chapter of 2019 so Happy New Year everyone. Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

The phone call that Marinette receives one Saturday morning is not one that she had been expecting in the slightest.

She doesn't recognize the number. The teen frowns, contemplating the digits and toying with the idea of ignoring the call, assuming that it's just a spammer or someone trying to sell her something. Curiosity gets the better of her. She answers and it's astonishment which takes hold as she hears a familiar voice from the other end of the line.

It's Emilie Agreste. The woman sounds different somehow; tired, perhaps a little weak. It's a far cry from the confidence that she usually broadcasts. It's enough to stir the girl's curiosity as opposed to causing her to hang up instinctively as she otherwise might have done in the name of her friend. Whilst they haven't discussed matters or established any rules, Marinette isn't inclined to be clement towards those who have torn apart her boyfriend's life with so little care as to what impact it might have on him. No, she'll hear the boy's mother out.

"Marinette… I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind coming to dinner?"

The question catches the teen off-guard. She's not too sure just what she'd been expecting but somehow this wasn't it. She doesn't quite know what to reply. She assumes that they mean come to dinner with the whole family, including Adrien, not just the two of them. The notion makes her a little uncomfortable. If only because she's not entirely sure that her boyfriend would approve. He's so terribly sensitive these days. Issues that he'd previously only suffered from one rare occasions are starting to become frequent and perhaps more worryingly were seeping through into his day-to-day life.

He refuses to talk about how his meeting with Nathalie went. Which leads Marinette to assume that something somewhere must have gone wrong. She can only wonder, being too timid to try and get an answer out of him a little more forcibly. She's toyed with asking the woman once or twice but thinks better of it. If those two aren't talking that means that now she's the only person that Adrien has left to confide in outside of Plagg. It isn't a position that the teen is willing to potentially jeopardize. She trusts her boyfriend to let her know what's going on in his life, eventually…

As such, she lets out a reluctant sigh. She needs to check all of this through with Adrien first. She won't go behind his back.

"Mrs. Agreste, after everything that's happened-"

"Please…" The woman is practically begging her at this point. "Adrien's not well. He's barely eating. The few times he does get to sleep its on the floor in a heap with that dog of his. The other day, he spent an hour just staring at that scruffy old watch the other day!"

She bites her lower lip, tempted to tell the boy's mother that if they want to sort out the problem and find some culprits then they have no further to look than themselves. If they're so desperate to help out their beloved son then a good place to start would be by bringing Nathalie back. Instead, to her ears, it practically sounds like they're blaming Adrien for the issues which he's currently suffering from. That in itself is enough to get her blood to boil. Is it a voluntary ignorance which causes the couple to look anywhere else but to themselves?

She stops herself however. It would be easy for them to get into a blame game. Instead, she pauses and thinks. There can be no denying that Adrien's not quite right. Even if Marinette hasn't witnessed any of the incidents which Emilie claims have occurred, she has no reason to doubt them and unfortunately no problem in believing that this is what he's going through on a daily basis. She can picture the young man, sitting up there on his own in his room, fixing the watch which was presented to him by someone that he cared for, just counting the seconds as they trickle by.

"Okay… What time?"

"Would six o'clock this evening be alright?" The woman seems to have perked up somewhat.

"Yes but I'm going to say this now: no tricks, okay?"

There's a pause. Marinette wishes that they were having this discussion face to face. She wants to be able to see and attempt to decipher the woman's facial expression. Instead, she's trapped unable to see if the woman she's talking to is smiling or close to tears. She hopes that it's the latter. The girl prays that Adrien's parents are nearing the end of their rope and are growing increasingly desperate, to the extent where they are willing to be open to new ideas and hopefully for once to listen as opposed to trying to force their will on everyone around them.

It's a few moments before she finally gets something of a response:

"There won't be any… I- We… We just want our son to be better."

The words sound so pained, so sincere that Marinette dares to believe them. What mother wouldn't want their family back together? If Emilie's made some mistakes in the past, hopefully this is the beginnings of her trying to put things back together.

She agrees. Aware that this could easily prove to be a mistake. As such, the girl isn't going into things unprepared. She won't be a naive fool who ends up becoming just another tool in whatever game Adrien's parents think that they're playing. She decides to take a few precautions. The first of which is to send her boyfriend a text message, warning him that she's going to be there so that he too can brace himself. She also warns Master Fu. The two miraculous holders in the same place might make for a formidable team but it can also be a liability. She needs him to know what's at stake, especially with no Nathalie around to keep an eye out for them. She also sneaks a few macaroons into her bag, just in case she finds herself needing to feed Tikki after using her lucky charm…

In short, she ensures that she's more or less ready for whatever they can throw at her. Then she's on her way.

As anxious as she is about the whole thing, she tries to act as naturally as possible. That means going in through the front door. She still finds herself looking towards, the camera half-expecting Nathalie to be on the other end. Instead, it's Emilie who greets her. She does seem… Affected. The woman's a bit paler and appears to be tired. Perhaps this isn't a trick after all. She greets the teen, apologizes for some of what's happened and is otherwise is very polite, asking after the girl's parents. Gabriel is there too, albeit more withdrawn. Given the history, that suits Marinette just fine. She talks only for a few moments. Whilst the teen isn't rude, she makes it quite clear through her somewhat clipped tone that she isn't here for them but rather Adrien.

He's in his room. Where else?

Marinette makes her way up there slowly but surely. She approaches her boyfriend's room with a certain amount of both reticence and caution. She's aware that he's liable to be highly strung and opts to knock.

"Come in Mari."

Adrien sounds exhausted. He looks terrible too. More often than not, she's grown accustomed to him looking a bit run down but since Nathalie left the effect has worsened rapidly. She's not too sure if perhaps the woman simply cleaned him up before he left the house and ensured that most of his suffering was concealed from the outside world or if this is simply a reaction to her being sent away but it's apparent even at a first glance that something isn't quite right.

The girl doesn't have enough time to contemplate things any further than that as Macaroon charges into her, barking excitedly. She only just has enough time to steady herself to avoid being knocked over. She laughs gently. Looking up after a few seconds to see if her amusement might have succeeded in cheering Adrien up even in the slightest. There's no smile to be seen. He simply looks at her through tired eyes. It's enough to make her own spirits fall somewhat. There's something about him that she can't quite place. It unsettles her.

"You… Came round for dinner?" He asks eventually, his voice low.

"I uh- Yeah." She stops herself, unsure about where to begin. "Didn't you know?"

He flashes the phone before her. Indicating that he was fully aware. So is this a reproach? Adrien is cold and taciturn with her for the first time. Despite her best efforts, he seems to want nothing to do with her. The young woman realizes that he's angry with her or at the very least resents her decision. So why not tell her to stay away? In an odd way, it actually reminds her of dealing with Dylan. Perhaps the stranger from down south only sleeps within the boy who had invented him. It isn't pleasant and already, there's a decidedly uneasy atmosphere. It feels like a storm is brewing.

They hear a call to come to the table. Adrien doesn't question it. He gets to his feet, patting Macaroon on his head mindlessly as he leaves the room. Plagg lingers for a moment however, waiting until he's sure that his partner is out of earshot before drifting close to the young man's girlfriend:

"Keep an eye on him." The kwami requests his voice uncharacteristically serious.

"He's not himself, is he?"

She gets a sorrowful shake of the head as a response. It causes her heart to sink somewhat as she contemplates the uncertainty of the evening ahead. There's a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She feels like she's on board of a sinking ship about to plunge into icy waters.

It's too late to do anything about it now however, she realizes steeling herself for whatever is yet to come. She's going to have to be prepared. Gathering her courage and her wits, knowing that she will need both, she heads after Adrien. The young woman speeds up, making the effort to catch up with him even although he plainly isn't slowing for her. At least this way they will appear externally to form something of a unified front, even if tonight, for whatever reason, they aren't. She wants to hold his hand but holds off from doing so. There's something about his attitude tonight which speaks of the fact that he wants to be anywhere else in the world but here.

When he enters the room, he doesn't even look at his parents. He just sits down and fixes the space in front of him wordlessly. Even Gabriel and Emilie seem to be taken aback by this particular show that he's putting on for them tonight. Thankfully, both seem to sense that their son isn't in the mood for a conversation.

In fact, they don't attempt to speak at all. The food comes up. For all that she knows that the Agreste family chef is a top class one, the food is bland in her mouth. Next to her, Adrien simply pushes it around the plate listlessly. Maybe from time to time he might stab a few peas and slip them into his mouth but that seems to be more from boredom than anything else. His head rests on his hands. There's a terrible amount of sorrow behind his orbs, more than should have been brought on at the sight of some steak and peas. It almost seems as if he might be about to start crying.

His emotional state wanders throughout the next half hour. She's been warned that he can suffer from mood swings before. It was Nathalie who told her. For the most part however, around her at least, Adrien seems to be relatively predictable. Up until now… Whilst he remains silent. She can see him shift between a profound sorrow to a raging anger which seems to burn away within him. It's made evident by a coldness which takes over. She can practically hear him grinding his teeth. She wants to reach out, to take his hand. Is she afraid of him? The girl suddenly finds herself wondering. She isn't… And yet she is. If they were alone, she would beg for him to calm down and come back to her. They aren't however and in the presence of his parents, she doesn't want her own fear to be too evident.

Finally, it's Emilie who speaks. She's been gazing at her son all evening. There's a clear amount of pain and regret behind her eyes. Seeing her son like this seems to be affecting her. When she does address him it's in a soft and gentle voice, tentative:

"What about inviting Nathalie round sometime?"

Adrien turns to face his parent. His face clouds over at the mere mention of the woman's name. He makes no attempt to conceal his rage. It's disproportionate. Marinette wonders if she's missed something here. Perhaps the subject has been raised before when she wasn't around. Whatever the case, it's clear that Emilie's words have had the exact reverse effect that she intended. He's mad in both senses of the word.

He moves too quickly for Marinette to be able to react.

In a flash, Adrien leaps to his feet startling everyone round the table. He reaches out and grabs for the glass of water in front of him. Initially, she assumes he's going to throw the contents at the woman. Instead, he flings the actual thing in his direction. Gabriel's reaction time is impressive if nothing else. Perhaps he sees what's going to happen before his son can act. Whatever the case, he grabs his wife by the sleeve and pulls her over towards him just in time to avoid the projectile. She lets out an alarmed cry. It crashes against the back of her chair, shattering instantly.

Marinette acts instinctively, fearing the worst. Without their miraculouses, Adrien is stronger than she is. So she slips her arms around his and pulls him in close, hoping to lock his limbs in place. It's probably a stupid thing to do. For all she knows, he could perceive it as an attack and respond in kind. Her presence barely even seems to register. His muscles are tense, ready to fight. This close, she can hear his heart thundering in his chest like a drum. His rapid breaths come out through teeth clenched so hard it feels as if they might be about to shatter. He's gone somewhere else and she doesn't know just where that is and if he'll come back.

All she knows is that this isn't the young man that she loves.

His gaze falls upon her. Then, very slowly, the anger begins to drain from behind his orbs. He comes back to her. Back to all of them, becoming aware of his surroundings once more. He sees what's happened, what he's done. The color drains from his face as he realizes just what he's done. His parents, startled by the outburst pick themselves back up. There's broken glass on the table and chair. A few seconds have no doubt spared his mother some unpleasant injuries. Although after a few moments, he spots just a single thin dribble of blood coming from a tiny cut somewhere on the back of the woman's forearm. It's only a tiny little scratch, barely anything. Still the crimson against her fair skin.

Adrien's legs buckle underneath him and he falls to his knees.

The word turns still. Marinette feels as if time has stopped. Adrien is dispondent. He's heavy in her arms. For all that, he can't quite manage to tear his eyes off of his parents. Emilie is quick to plaster a hand over her injury. Is she trying to alleviate the pain or simply conceal it from her son? It's impossible to tell. It's Gabriel who ends up breaking the silence. It's rage which fills his eyes as he turns back towards the teen:

"Adrien!" It's all that he can yell, unable to think of anything else which could get his outrage across appropriately. "You- You realize what you could have- Have you lost your mind?!"

"Gabriel..."

Emilie reaches out and takes her husband's arm, calming him somewhat. She shakes her head slowly, encouraging him to take a few breaths and think things over more clearly.

It all seems to fall on deaf ears. There are a few tears which make their way down the teen's cheeks. It's the only sign that he's even still conscious, otherwise he could have been mistaken for some form of living statue. His gaze is focused on those whom he had attacked, lost. Marinette rubs his back. She struggles in an attempt to bring him back. He's lost. Whatever had taken possession of him is gone. Strangely, it's a more familiar sight for her than what he'd been like moments before. She holds him close to her for a few moments and eventually he begins to shake.

Gabriel eventually chooses to approach, he stops a yard or so short of his son, looking down at the young man. There's a sternness behind his blue eyes, the parental side appears to have taken over him once more. Finally, Adrien raises his own watery and somewhat fearful gaze to meet that of the man.

"You're going to a doctor!" The man leaves no room for debate. "Until then, you are not to leave your room!"

"Mr. Agreste..." Marinette begins as she notices that Adrien fails to respond. "That's not fair."

"I didn't ask your opinion Marinette." The father turns his attention back to his son. "It's high time that we got you some professional help..."

Marinette looks back towards Adrien. Despite what's happened, she wants him to argue, to fight back and resist. Instead, he just kneels there defeated. It's like she's taken back to when he was fourteen, failing to convince his father to allow him to go to a party or that the villain Simon Says might actually pose something of a threat. Silently, she begs with him to protest, to try and stand up for himself.

Very slowly, the teen rises to his feet. He seems to be a little more in possession of his body and senses now. Still, his girlfriend fixes him with a certain amount of uncertainty. He offers her a slight smile. It's the sort that he'd perfected when he was fourteen and things were very much not alright. It fools her about as much as it does him. If anything, such fake actions are more troubling than anything else. He fails miserably at trying to convince her that everything's alright. She simply doesn't know how to react to it. He beats her to the punch:

"I'm sorry Marinette… Maybe it's best if you just go back home, okay?"

"Adrien..."

"I- I think I need some time alone. I'm really sorry..."

He doesn't provide her with much of an alternative, practically fleeing. He's quick to excuse himself, returning to his room. Effectively dumping her on the doorstep. She does her best not to take it personally, reasoning that he isn't in his right mind. It's the same reasoning which causes her to hold back from giving chase. She doesn't want to risk pushing him over the edge once more.

With Emilie eager to tend to her injury "before she makes a mess" it leaves Gabriel with the somewhat awkward task of escorting their guest, a young woman he had previously abducted to the door. With every step, Marinette finds herself getting over her shock. Instead, it's a feeling of injustice that mounts within her. Adrien hadn't been like this even a few months ago. This is their doing… She stops by the entrance. Hands balled into fists, ready to fight. She digs her heels in, refusing to take even one more step until some harsh but in her mind true words are spoken.

"This is your fault." She refuses to pull her punches. "You and Emile. You've made everything worse! Trying to mold him into your perfect son, it isn't who he is!"

"Perhaps you're right..." Gabriel's voice is softer than she had anticipated. The apparent absence of resentment takes her by surprise. "-But that doesn't change the fact that we're trying to help him. Good evening Marinette."

She could argue, try to get her point across a little further but a single look into the man's eyes is enough to dissuade her of such a course of action. She already deems Gabriel Agreste to be more or less beyond hope as far as reasoning is concerned… The girl lets out a shaky sigh before taking a few steps. This time tomorrow things will be clearer she reasons. She will know what to do. One thing is clear in her mind, she's no longer convinced that they will be able to wait out this particular storm.

There is a knock on Adrien's door a few minutes before midnight. His bedroom light is still on, a sign that in all likelihood he's still awake.

Whilst there is no response, his parents take the precaution of opening the door and peering in. They find their son, back pressed against the wall. The boy is holding onto his dog's collar, ensuring that he can't charge over to them. He looks towards them but says nothing. He's too tired to otherwise react. They won't get any more fight out of him. Still, both approach cautiously, weary should his temper flare once more.

"The doctor..." The teen mutters eventually after a while under their gaze. "Do I have to go? I-I didn't mean to."

"What about Marinette?" It's Emilie who speaks, her injury bandaged carefully. "What happens if she's the next one who says something you don't like?"

"No..." Adrien shakes his head slowly. "I'd never hurt her..."

"Adrien, I don't think that you want to hurt anyone, do you?" His mother's voice is soft and understanding. He shakes his head once more, it's easier than answering. "You just lash out. You lose control..."

Adrien looks away and down at his hands. He can't even remember throwing the glass. He knows that he did it but it wasn't an action which had required any forethought. He'd been angry. The rage had been boiling over for days and days, driving him mad little by little. It had found a way out and he'd released it. He can't even remember what exactly his mother had said to earn such a reaction. He only recalls Nathalie being brought up. Plagg tells him that he wasn't in the wrong. He wants to believe it but can't quite bring himself to do so.

He won't hurt Marinette.

Instead, exhausted, the teen raises his gaze to meet his parents:

"Okay… We'll do things your way..."


	31. Rendez-vous

**_Author's note: First chapter of the new year! Thanks for all of the reviews._**

**_/_**

The spring warmth is a pleasant change from the winter which Paris' is steadily emerging from. The rain comes less often, replaced instead by the sun. Furthermore, for the residents of the city, there isn't quite the same volume of tourists flocking to the capital and crowding its streets as there will be come summer. In short, it's a pleasant time to be out and about.

Saturday morning rolls around and Marinette finds herself heading out on an important mission. There is no emergency. Nothing in need of Ladybug's attention. This has all been planned out, scheduled. She made the arrangements last night. She promises her parents to be home for lunch. She doesn't think that she'll be gone more than a couple of hours at most. As always, she has her purse and kwami with her. Again though, she has no plans of getting into trouble. This should be both routine and unconventional. As she starts the brief walk to the place where she's supposed to meet up with an acquaintance for a drink, she finds herself wondering if she's ever done this before. She can't recall meeting up with her before.

She arrives at the cafe but to her surprise can't seem to find the person she was expecting to see. After a glance around the tables outside, she sticks her head inside of the bar, even going so far as to ask one of the waiters if they've seen someone waiting for someone else. Perhaps predictably that course of action yields no real results. Defeated, she heads back outside, assuming that the other must simply be late.

"Marinette!" A woman raises her hand, signaling her position. With a smile, the teen is quick to join her.

"Sorry." The younger woman mutters as she takes her seat. "I didn't see you there..."

"Looking for a suit, were you?"

Unable to tell if that's a tease or a reproach, Marinette, blushing slightly, prefers just to shrug. It is true that without her signature smart attire, it's isn't easy to pick her out in the crowd. Whilst the woman certainly doesn't dress slovenly, seeing her in more casual clothes still comes as a shock. Delphine notwithstanding, the teen can only think of a handful of occasions when she's seen the woman dressed as anything than Gabriel Agreste's assistant. As such, she sometimes struggles to tell with which the older woman is more comfortable: working or relaxing. Adrien would know…

"You, uh… Look well."

"Thank you."

"Have you got a new job?" Marinette searches for other ways to start off some form of a conversation before they have to attend to more serious matters.

"No. Not yet." Nathalie pauses only for a moment. "You came here to talk about Adrien."

There's something almost shockingly blunt about the way that she speaks. Even now, she finds it sometimes difficult to relax around Nathalie. She knows that the woman cares about the boy, it's impossible to conceive that she doesn't love him given how much she's sacrificed for him. Still, there's an emotional detachment about her which is unsettling, it causes the teen to wonder just how she views the world.

She's right though.

Marinette has come here as something of an act of desperation. She's worried. Unable to approach the Agrestes about the matter and with all of Adrien's friends unaware of his double-life as Cat Noir, she finds herself with nobody else to turn to. She's thought all this through. With a comparative lack of dialogue between herself and her boyfriend, she isn't too sure what Nathalie knows and doesn't. So she decides to assume that she probably doesn't or at the very least, she doesn't quite grasp the severity of it. So the teenager decides to just be straight with the woman, to inform her about her fears and concerns:

"Adrien's not doing so well..."

"What's wrong?" Nathalie asks, her voice level.

"What isn't?" Marinette shakes her head slowly as she wonders where to even begin. "Since you left… I don't know. You should see him. It's like he's doing the minimum necessary to keep himself alive. Barely even that… He's having nightmares all the time according to Plagg and gets well- His temper."

"He gets angry and lashes out." Nathalie fills in for the girl.

"He did..."

Marinette doesn't care to think back to his outburst. It's not a side of her boyfriend that she'd ever seen before and she most certainly doesn't want to again. To Nathalie it doesn't seem so surprising. It's hard to read her expression but the concept of Adrien, usually so calm and gentle losing his mind doesn't earn so much as a batted eyelid. So the girl tells him about her recent events that have occurred at the mansion as their coffees arrive. Specifically that the young man had thrown a glass at his mother. That simple statement should shock her. Instead, she barely even blinks.

Something tells Marinette that there's a lot that both Adrien and Nathalie haven't told her over the years, perhaps even concealed from her.

"They sent him to some psychologist. He goes there twice a week. They're keeping it quiet. You know, to avoid a scandal." Marinette stirs her drink mindlessly for a moment. "He gave him some pills."

"Are they working?" Nathalie's interest seems to perk up.

"I don't know… He hasn't really said. Honestly they seem to make him a bit sleepy."

Nathalie says nothing but instead looks down to fix her drink. Again, it's not exactly the response that Marinette had been hoping for. She had been hoping that her tale would stir some form of maternal instinct within the woman that would see her fly to Adrien's rescue or at least provide some words of advice and wisdom for his girlfriend so as she might better be able to assist him. Right now, it's hard to say if she's reluctant or disinterested. The woman's poker face is impossible to read and in truth, not all that encouraging.

After a few moments, her blue gaze rises to meet that of the teen. She seems to be tired all of a sudden and it's then that Marinette is certain that she has been worrying about the boy. What's more likely is that she doesn't believe that she can do anything about it.

"What are you asking of me?" The woman asks after a few moments.

"You're like a mother to him-" Nathalie gives her an odd look. "What? You are… Anyway, maybe just talk to him?"

"Talk to him and say _what_?" There's a certain harshness behind her tone suddenly. "Anything I can suggest would likely land both of us in trouble."

"Just try to get through to him. I've seen you, you're a good mom-"

Nathalie shakes her head slowly, dismissing the notion silently. Is she giving up on Adrien or her own ability to help?

Whatever the case, she seems unwilling to go any further. Not here at least. With a small signal of the hand, she lets her companion know that this isn't the place to discuss such matters. It's comparatively crowded. Nathalie isn't a celebrity. People might recognize Marinette however purely through her association with Adrien, others will be able to recognize her from her appearances on the occasional television show. At any rate, she must judge that it's too risky to discuss such matters openly here. The teen relents and they finish their coffees in relative silence. He former assistant picks up the bill, unwilling to let a girl who has college to look forwards to next year pay. It causes the teen to wonder how much money she has given that she's no longer working. Did Gabriel even give her a severance package?..

Those questions are comparatively minor when compared to the unease which the teen feels as they walk along. They don't go far. Just down onto one of the _quais_. The silence lingers for a while, causing Marinette to wonder if Nathalie is waiting for her to say something or simply attempting to gather her own thoughts together. The younger woman errs on the side of caution, preferring to leave the other with the opportunity to speak if she sees it fit. Finally, after a few moments, she says a couple of words:

"I don't know what's best for that boy anymore..." It's clearly a painful confession.

"He didn't want to therapy." Marinette reminds the older woman.

"If Adrien's arm had been hanging off and he said that he didn't want to go to the hospital, would you listen to him?"

"It's not the same. They made things worse..." The younger woman pauses, giving an opportunity for herself to be contradicted.

"They did." Nathalie agrees matter-of-factly. "-but that doesn't mean that he didn't need to go in the first place."

"He was okay before."

This time, she spots out of the corner of her eye Nathalie hesitating. It's as good as proof that there's more to the tale than perhaps she's ever been told. The woman turns towards her, eyeing her cautiously. Without saying a word, Marinette's gaze softens, pleading slightly. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have dared ask about this sort of thing when Adrien wasn't about but the current circumstances are such that she finds herself desperate. She doubts that her boyfriend would willingly talk about what troubles him but she needs to know if there's to be any chance of her helping out.

After a few moments of silent internal deliberation, Nathalie finally caves in and lets out in a single sigh:

"No he wasn't." There's a clear amount of pain behind her voice, making it evident that she's breaking some form of confidence. "You just didn't see the worst of it. He was always so eager to pretend that everything was normal."

"I thought it was just the claustrophobia..." Marinette commented quietly.

"He couldn't hide that but the truth is he hasn't been quite right for a few years now."

"When did it start?"

"He had nightmares right back when he was "Dylan"." The woman lowers her gaze shamefully before adding. "I spent a lot of that time pretending not to care… The rest, that started after the Grand Palais. Nightmares, panic attacks, mood swings… Some days are worse than others."

Marinette contemplates these revelations in silence. In retrospect, she's known that something wasn't quite right for a while. It's clear that Adrien hasn't been the same carefree boy that he once was when she'd first met him. Even that was a facade of sorts, Dylan had been another as well as perhaps a coping mechanism of sorts. She had been aware that he'd suffered following his father's exile, forcing Nathalie to take him away from the capital for a while but she'd been lead to believe that the worst of it had passed since then.

She's getting ready to respond with something although hasn't quite decided if it's going to be another question or a statement about his current state of mind which is – in her opinion – indisputably deteriorating when Nathalie surprises her by continuing to speak:

"He freaks out over things sometimes and for the life of me, I don't know why! And the worse thing is-" She pauses for a moment, fixing the floor as she continues to walk along. When she begins to speak again, her tone is softer, more hushed, barely above a whisper. "I look into his eyes and I see- I can see that he doesn't know why either."

How long has she been forced to sit on this in silence with no one else to turn to?

The woman seems to realize that she's gone a little too far, perhaps left herself both open and vulnerable. She shies away doing her best to regain some sense of self-control and conceal her emotions from the rest of the world. Nathalie's one of these people who isn't an open book and from almost every time that she seems to open up a little more than she usually would Marinette often observes that she's keen to rebuild those barriers as soon as possible. It must be strange to live with her… She seems surprised, shaken. It's as if she's gone further than she ever thought to be possible and now bitterly regrets it. Still, she doesn't backtrack, not entirely. Instead, there's a strange acceptance which comes over her. She owns the words that she had spoken:

"What am I supposed to do when faced with something like that?" The woman shakes her head slowly, as if trying to banish the memories from her mind. "So don't go calling me a good mom. A good mom would have got him some help, no matter what it cost them."

Marinette hesitates. A part of her wants to question if Nathalie really held off of taking Adrien to a specialist out of fear for herself and her own criminal past as she seems to claim or if it was because he simply didn't want to go. She wants to believe the latter. It fits in better with the image of their family life that she had pictured in her mind. She doesn't however, unwilling to put the woman on the spot.

Instead, it's towards her own past that she finds herself turning. There are things there that aren't happiness and joy and which she prefers not to linger on. Unlike Adrien and his guardian however, there was a notable difference for her in that much of the woes which had befallen Marinette Dupain-Cheng had been in the public eye. Her parents had been unfortunately aware of her disappearance when the Grand Palais had collapsed. They, along with the rest of the world had assumed her to be dead. Then the truth or at least part of it had come to light. Even now, it's far from uncommon for her to be reminded that she was the "girl kidnapped by Hawk Moth".

"I went through therapy." Marinette reminds the woman eventually. "It doesn't make everything better."

"It would have helped."

It's a declaration which Nathalie isn't afraid to make it would seem. It offends Marinette somewhat, although she doesn't let it show. A part of her is inclined to wonder just what on earth makes the woman qualified to make such a statement. She's never had to sit in front of a psychiatrist, has she? With the woman, she'd honestly rather not try to say.

She doesn't pick an argument. Perhaps it's something that they can debate at a later date. Whatever the case, Marinette deems that there are more pertinent things to be debating right now. After all, she came here to discuss Adrien, not her own personal issues and the ghosts which still haunt aspects of her life. She had come here hoping that the woman would jump at the chance to help the young man she's spent so long raising. Given that seem to be somewhat reticent about doing so, she resolves that she's going to have to ask outright:

"Won't you help me help Adrien?"

"Help you do what exactly? Drag him away from his parents and the psychiatrist?" Marinette shrugs, it's not a million miles away from what she was planning. "Even if we found a way to do that… It would destroy any chances he ever has of having a normal life with his parents."

"Would-" Marinette starts uneasily, hesitating before deciding that there's no going back now. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

The look that she gets from Nathalie is one which she's never received before and prays she never will again. It's enough to make her be silent for the next few yards. It's clear that in her mind, the possibility of Adrien losing contact with his birth parents is not a desirable one. Marinette would disagree, claiming that they've brought him nothing but trouble and suffering one way or another. Again, she shies away from open conflict reasoning that if push comes to shove she needs allies more than she does enemies and that angering her boyfriend's former guardian is going to be anything but productive.

It takes a minute or so for the woman's silent anger to subside.

Finally however, just as Marinette's starting to make some plans about just how she can excuse herself or prepares to apologize, Nathalie lets out a sigh. It's clear that there's little resentment there. All of a sudden, she just comes across as tired.

"Believe me, I've thought about it. Right now, my hands are tied. If I thought I could magic Adrien away or approach his parents, I would but I can't. Right now… All we can do is wait until he's an adult."

"That's still two weeks away!" Marinette stresses to the woman.

"I know… But it might be simpler than getting tangled up in some sort of legal battle." The idea of backing down causes the girl to wince so Nathalie continues. "The press would be all over it. Things are complicated enough without other parties getting involved."

Marinette wants to argue, to contest the woman's statements. Adrien's suffered enough already. Every day he spends like this, it's as if a piece of him is slipping away from them. Two weeks isn't a long time in the scheme of things but in the current climate, it feels like that they could stretch on forever. She shifts, growing restless and uneasy at the prospect of what's to come.

Instead, the young woman finds herself looking for some manner of an alternative. She wants to do what Nathalie had done all those years ago with Adrien and run away. Take him out of that mansion which resembles more of a prison than anything else. Then what? Plagg has informed her that Gabriel has threatened legal action should anyone try to take the boy away. That more or less rules out anything that the former assistant can do. Whilst Marinette is a little bit hazier about the law, she's not even entirely sure that her own parents would be safe if it was found that they were harboring him. They could hide him somewhere… Then what? He would be a fugitive, there would be a police search, the press would get involved… The teen groans with frustration, struggling to think of even the beginnings of a potential solution.

"So what can we do?" She asks Nathalie eventually, running out of patience.

"Be there for him; if he asks for it – which he won't – or if he doesn't. Let him know that he's not alone… I care for that boy but if we move too soon, we will only make things worse. I think deep down he knows that. That's probably why he's acting the way he is, damage limitation… Stay by his side but don't ask him to do anything."

She makes it sound so easy. Marinette knows that it's about the only thing that she can do at the moment unless she's prepared to jeopardize both of their futures. With nothing more to add, she opts to remain quiet instead.

They walk only for a little bit further. Too much has between the two of them today to even contemplate discussing anything more lighthearted. When they do decide to part ways however there's a question on the young woman's lips. It's one which she's been seeking to ask for quite some time but never dared to. She'd thought about addressing it to Adrien but thought better of it, least he respond negatively and it bring about some form of realization which ended up hurting him somehow. So as she goes back up the ramp leading to the main street whilst Nathalie continues on along the quai towards the Île Saint-Louis, Marinette stops and looks over her shoulder, catching the former assistant's attention as she does so. She pauses, waiting to hear whatever is about to be said. The tone is gentle, letting her know silently that she's free to answer or not:

"Have you ever told him?"

"Told him what?" The woman raises an eyebrow genuinely perplexed.

"Told him that you love him."

She looks as if she's going to answer quickly but something suddenly stops her. Instead, she looks away, averting her gaze as she turns back towards the river. It captures her attention for a few minutes as she focuses on the waters as they glisten in the sun. One of the _bateaux-mouches_ passes, disturbing the flow with its wake. Marinette doesn't push her for a response, preferring to leave the woman will all the time that she needs to to reply. The fact that she hasn't simply dismissed her by saying that of course she has is in many ways, an answer in itself.

Finally, it's with a quiet sigh that the woman replies in her own way:

"He knows."

"Yeah… But sometimes hearing it – especially for Adrien – it can make all the difference."

It's Nathalie's turn to pause, deep in thought as she reflects upon the statement. She isn't the type to wear her emotions on her sleeves and the fact that she's never done something as simple as tell Adrien that she cares for him doesn't come as all that much of a surprise for Marinette. After a few moments, she bows her head and takes her leave, taking it under advisement.

The women part company, although Marinette can sense that it likely won't be the last time that she has to deal with Nathalie Sancoeur. In two weeks, they might both need to stand together once more…


	32. Lying in wait

Adrien's attitude is somewhat different. He seems more withdrawn, quieter and less outgoing. On the flip-side, it's a constant. He no longer seems to suffer from the mood swings. He's far more docile than he was. It's like having the fourteen-year-old back with them.

For Marinette, someone who is entirely up to date with everything that has happened to him, it's somewhat more disconcerting. If both Alya and Nino pick up on the change and are able to attribute at least in part to the return of his parents, they most certainly don't know the whole sinister side to the story. To them, Mrs. Agreste being back in the picture can only be a good thing. Adrien's more mellow outlook on life is a positive. They don't know how bad he was before he was forced to go to a psychiatrist. it's clear that he's making an effort to mask the fact that he's suffered anything. He smiles and laughs but if one were to pay particular attention, they would be able to tell that something somewhere isn't quite right. The girl reasons that if she were in their position, she would likely be none-the-wiser.

She tries her best with him. He claims to be alright. Laughs and states that she's worrying about nothing. She wishes that she could believe him.

Unfortunately for the green eyed young man, he channels Dylan some ways when he's lying. There's a certain melancholy behind his eyes. It's a sadness that he can't quite conceal from the rest of the world, especially not the young woman who loves him. He isn't alright. He's pretending that he is.

For what purpose? It's honestly kind of hard to tell.

She's asked him what he plans to do when he turns eighteen. The response is always a little bit slow in coming and when it does, it's not exactly enlightening. She claims to be unsure. On occasion, he's commented about going through with his initial plan to attend business school. Then, sometimes, if his defenses are a little bit lower, he might confess to wanting to leave, to start afresh somewhere, somehow. He sounds desperate. When she offers her assistance or at the very least asks him just what he means by that he brushes her off.

The closest she's ever gotten to getting a proper insight into his troubled mind is when she was walking to his house with him one day. He'd stopped and made a curious statement about how he had called the building home for a good many years but hasn't been able to find it in himself to do since its last beacon of familiarity was chased away…

She hadn't know what to reply so had chosen to simply assure him that no matter what happened, she would remain by his side. He'd smiled, slipped an arm around her and pulled her in close, placing a single kiss atop her head. It's the closest she's been in quite some time to getting her boyfriend back.

In truth, everyone anticipates something happening come his birthday. His parents organize a party at the mansion catching all of his friends off-guard. They attend of course. Coming together to wish the birthday boy all the best. He's an adult now… Standing there dressed in his best designer shirt which Marinette had created for him earlier on in the year, he's the picture of handsome elegance. She greets him fondly whilst Tikki and Plagg retreat to someplace quiet where they can chat without fear of being seen. The kwami has become one of the few windows available to her to let her know what's going on in his life. He seems happy, which is surprising in himself. They dance and kiss. It's a great evening.

The day after, Adrien is still home, and the day after that, and the day after that. Marinette stops counting and being surprised after one week. It seems as if Adrien has decided to stay put after all.

His parents grow more confident allowing him to wander more and no longer imposing any form of curfew. Still he abides by it. It initially infuriates the young woman. She wants to tell him to snap out of it and that he doesn't have to be governed by any of their rules, reminding him about what they've done and that they're responsible for sending away Nathalie. She stops herself however. Would that mean stirring up resentment which might simply not be there anymore? Could it be that he's decided that this life, this existence is the one which suits him best? She can't get much of a response from him. At this point, she can't tell if he's being evasive or merely losing interest in the subject.

Is his apathy caused by the medicine or something far deeper? Have his parents finally succeeded in breaking his spirit?

Can she love him when he's like this?

The question is one which she can't escape from one warm morning in early July when her parents, somewhat concerned call for her. They have an unexpected visitor in the form of Gabriel Agreste. The man seems to be shaken. He's paler than usual and clearly hasn't taken quite so much care when it comes to his appearance as he usually would. He bears just one message:

Adrien has disappeared.


	33. Lost and found

**_Author's note: Thanks for all of the reviews and sorry for the delay with this chapter._**

**_/_**

Ladybug swings across the rooftops, she travels across Paris far faster than any car obliged to follow the rules of the road could hope to. There is no emergency, at least not one where any lives are in danger. Instead, she has a specific destination in mind and it's essential that she makes it there as quickly as possible. It's a place that she's never actually visited before, the address was given to her by a friend a while ago, just in case anything ever happened. Evidently her precautions were not for naught…

The superhero takes the precaution of changing back to her civilian form before approaching the door. She has her diary with her, in which she had once jotted down the code to let herself in. She keys in the digits, glancing around to ensure that she's not too late or about to receive some company. For the moment, the cost is clear. She enters the building then finds herself stopping as she can't remember what floor or flat she needs. Glancing towards the letterboxes provides the teen with the information that she needs.

She storms up the stairs, running as fast as she can, aware that every second counts. She almost collides with one of the neighbors on her way up. They yell, telling her to be more careful. She apologizes but doesn't stop. She reaches the forth floor and knocks on the door. It's the wrong one. She's greeted by an extremely confused seventy-four-year-old man. Again, apologies are made as she turns to knock on the door across the landing.

_Please let it be the right one, please…. _

After a few moments, she hears the lock turn, someone's in. She's greeted by Nathalie. The woman seems startled. Evidently her visit isn't planned or expected. Instinctively, that sends a certain amount of dread into the teen, dashing many of her hopes.

"Marinette? What's happened?" The woman seems to sense that this isn't a casual visit.

"Adrien, is he here?"

"No."

Nathalie steps to one side, seemingly sensing that Marinette won't be easy until she's seen inside the apartment with her own eyes and guaranteed that he isn't inside. The woman closes the door behind her, keen to ensure that this conversation to be too public. The teen steps inside spins around but sees no Adrien. There is however a man that she's never seen before. She freezes upon noticing him. He's sitting down at a table, in the middle of his breakfast and coffee. The teen feels the heat rise to her cheeks, realizing that she's intruding. The man, evidently a bit surprised himself by the intrusion, offers her a "_bonjour_". She can only respond in kind.

She glances towards her boyfriend's former guardian, trying to check her response. As always, her face is unreadable. If anything, she sees to be surprisingly calm.

"Adrien's ran away, hasn't he?" It's more of a statement of fact

"Yeah. I thought for sure he'd come here." Marinette confesses not even attempting to hide her disappointment.

"Have you called all of his friends? Nino? Alya?" Nathalie remains astonishingly calm, as if she has a checklist for this sort of thing.

"Yes. I think Mr. and Mrs. Agreste are going to check there as well."

Comforting? Not exactly. Whilst Gabriel had appeared to be rather shocked and confused by what had happened, she reasoned that it would subside eventually and he would go back to being the ruthless machine she knew that the man was capable of becoming. Every inch of Paris would be turned over in an attempt to locate Adrien Agreste. Hence why it was crucial that they located him first.

Nathalie seems to be impossibly calm given the current situation. She doesn't respond however, deep in thought for a few moments. With answers or suggestions being so slow in coming, the teen feels obliged to appeal to her, trying to stress the urgency of the current situation:

"Please Nathalie… You've got to have some idea of what's going on!"

"And why is that?" The woman snaps suddenly perhaps hearing some manner of implication that she's concealing the truth.

"You're his _man_..." Marinette stresses her voice softening with the declaration.

"Marinette I haven't seen or heard from Adrien in over two months!"

The revelation stops Marinette dead in her tracks. She isn't prepared for it in the slightest. The teen does some quick mental arithmetic and works out that the date would likely be when they were first forced to part ways but that couldn't be right… Adrien had told her that he'd been to see her, that they were texting. He wouldn't lie to her, would he? Yet it's clear that Nathalie is hurt by her declaration which allows the girl to see that she's most definitely telling the truth. They haven't seen one another.

Still, she can't quite manage to get it through her mind.

"But… He went round to see you one night."

"When was this?" Nathalie questions, raising an eyebrow.

"About two weeks." The girl struggles to recall a precise date. "It was after we stopped these two thieves, they'd held up a jewelers."

"What day exactly?"

It must be important to Nathalie as she insists that the girl trawl through her text messages, going back days, weeks and months to when the incident had occurred. It takes her somewhere between five to ten precious minutes which could better have been spent searching for the missing young man. Marinette tries not to let her irritation show, reasoning that there must be something which the woman is looking for. Eventually, she finds the text and reads out the time and date stamp.

On an interesting note, she's never heard Nathalie swear before. Adrien's told her that she does sometimes, if prompted and stressed enough but to date, she's never heard it and honestly has been wondering if he might have been pulling her leg. Now she has definite proof that the woman is capable of cursing. For a moment, the teen fears that she might have been directed towards the boy for being present there that night. Instead, she quickly realizes that its herself that his former assistant is angry with. Evidently, some of her decisions are to blame. Marinette doesn't quite understand and she isn't provided with much of an opportunity to inquire.

"I have an idea about where he might have gone." The woman declares after a few moments.

"You going to need a lift?" The man seems genuinely concerned, reaching for his jacket.

"No. It's okay Jacques." She seems to have calmed down a little by the time he approaches her. "I think I had better do this alone..."

Marinette realizes then and there that Nathalie has no intention of bringing her along for the ride. She's still too confused by the whole thing to feel all that offended. Perhaps if given a few more minutes, the girl would no doubt have protested more vigorously. She would have demanded to be brought along to find Adrien. She is cut short however when she sees the somewhat pained look behind the blue eyes. She doesn't know exactly what's happened but is able to sense that she doesn't want to risk getting in the way of whatever is happening and has already occurred. Without saying another word, she backs down silently.

The man, Jacques, leaves a few minutes later, urging Nathalie call him if she needs any manner of assistance. The woman remains apparently relaxed assuring him that she has matters in hand. When he's gone, Marinette feels a little more comfortable speaking:

"You know where he is?"

"I have a hunch..." The woman responds after after a few moments contemplative silence. "Marinette, if you don't mind, I'd rather do this alone. I have some things to explain to him."

"I-" She hesitates for just a moment, it's difficult to permit such a course of action. "Okay but promise you'll let me know if you find him!"

"You have my word."

She trusts Nathalie. Maybe that's a mistake, only time will tell.

The woman sets off, she heads for the metro. It's quite a long ride out to the city outskirts, not one that she's had to make in a good many years now. Nathalie makes her way along in silence, her mind is elsewhere. Silently, she curses herself for her foolishness and her fear which has prevented her from making which was objectively the logical decision. She tries not to focus on all of the worst possible case scenarios, instead concentrating on the matter at hand. She can only hope that Gabriel and Emilie stay quiet about their panic for just a bit longer. She needs an hour or so, just to talk to him, assuming that he's where she thinks he is. After that, she'll let him be if it's what he wants.

It's a strange thing to be back in this place. How many years has it been? Many. She can't even recall the last time that she was here. It's all a blur. Those days have been erased from her mind now and she's only too grateful for it. It leaves her, for the most part, with only the best days.

She climbs the stairs. As a Parisienne living in the center, she's grown somewhat accustomed to the lack of an elevator. All the same, the woman marks the occasional pause just to catch her breath. After a period of climbing, she eventually reaches her destination. In her handbag are a set of keys which she always carries with her even though she hasn't had the occasion to use them in quite some time. It's only been a few hours, she reasons, he won't have had enough time to change the locks. It likely won't even have occurred to him.

Cautiously, she turns the keys in the lock and opens the door.

Something collides with her, threatening to knock her off her her feet. She has just enough time to brace herself as the large dog, barking enthusiastically greets her. She's not too sure if she's missed this or not. The slobber on her nice clean clothes is definitely something which she could have happily done without. Still, despite her usual reservations, the woman finds herself smiling as she pats the animal, trying to convince it to calm down. There's nothing to be done for it. Macaroon is ecstatic. After a little over two months, the animal had perhaps assumed that he was never going to see the tall and serious woman ever again.

After a few moments, her eyes rise to meet a young man. He's standing a little bit further back in the room. He's frozen as he stands there. His mouth hangs open just slightly. Is he waiting to speak or too shocked to do so. One thing's for sure, he wasn't expecting to see her here, not like this at the very least.

"Nathalie..." The young man breathes out eventually.

She offers him a gentle little smile as if to let him know that everything's alright, he can relax. Given what's happened, there's no predicting just how exactly he will react. Right now, he just looks as lost as he always does. She catches sight of Plagg floating just next to his partner's shoulder, the kwami smiles gratefully at her. Her arrival will have pleased at least someone. She manages to calm down Macaroon enough to get in, closing the door behind her carefully.

She wants to take this slowly and surely. As a result, she's more inclined to let him process this and react in his own time. The last thing that the young woman wants is to impose herself. Perhaps she should have phoned ahead. She reminds herself that he's turned off his cellphone, if he even has it with him. As a result, the woman is forced to try and read him in order to deduce how well – or badly – he's taking this. At first glance, he didn't seem to be displaying any of the little tics or other nervous signs she's learned to take note of which might indicate that he's about to suffer from an episode. As such, she finds herself relaxing just a little.

It's a while before Adrien takes the risk of speaking:

"How did you know I'd be here?"

"You're a smart young man, for the most part." She adds the last part in something of a more jovial tone, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. "I reasoned you'd want somewhere to lie low for a bit, to get your bearings that wouldn't put your friends at any risk. Somewhere familiar…"

"This was home, for a while." Adrien mutters quietly.

It's hard not to think back to those days with some fondness. They'd seemed… Simpler in some ways. Although practically Nathalie knows that isn't true – they'd been in hiding from a supervillain after all. For whatever reason however, it's how the two of them chose to remember it. Even now, as her eyes travel around the apartment, she finds herself struggling with the urge to smile as she thinks back to it. The smell is unpleasant and there's a lingering dampness despite the open window. In many ways, it hasn't changed all that much from that first night that they turned up, in that it's a health hazard.

There are some more familiar elements however. It had seemed more natural for there to be photos of Dylan and Delphine lying around and there still are. They've been faded a bit by the sun. Still, she remembers each and every one of them acutely. Adrien with his dyed hair and dark eyes might have looked strange to some but in an odd way, it almost feels more natural to her. She smiles briefly at a few of them before turning her attention back towards the young man who stands before her now:

"I'm impressed that you waited until after your exams before pulling a disappearing act." She tells him earning only a shrug for a response. "I'm a little more disappointed that you didn't let Marinette know."

"I was going to tell her as soon as I was set up." The young man informed her somewhat defensively. "I'm guessing she's looking for me?"

"Yes. She assumed that you were hiding at my apartment."

The mention of the building causes Adrien to recoil slightly. He doesn't looking at her, instead whistling for Macaroon to come over to his side. The dog obliges, tail wagging a mile a minute as he approaches. The boy sits back down on the couch that she had once bought him to make the nights that he spent in the apartment a bit more comfortable for his growing body. He's so tall now, she has to wonder if he would still fit on the unfolded bed. Hopefully, if this works out, they won't have to find out.

The teen is slow with his response. In fact, Nathalie is mostly convinced that there isn't going to be one, so she decides to push ahead herself:

"It's been a few months..." She reminds him quietly, testing the waters cautiously, unwilling to trigger another outburst. "I didn't want to push, even when you stopped answering my messages but you did come round, didn't you? You came round and saw me with a man..."

Again, she leaves him a moment. Providing him with an opportunity to respond, to confirm or deny her statement. He grows distant in those few moments, his attention focuses elsewhere. She can tell that he's a little but awkward standing there. There's probably reason enough for him to be so. Strangely though, she finds herself thinking back to the time that she had announced to Dylan that a man had asked her on a date. He hadn't seemed to be all that bothered by it. Then again, that was three and a bit years ago. Things have changed between the two of them.

She takes a chance and decides to make herself comfortable. Pretending that she still lives here, Nathalie enters, making her way over to couch (the armchair she had spent so many hours recovering from her ailment in brings back unpleasant memories), the woman sits down. Adrien stares but makes no attempt to either join her or make her feel particularly unwanted. He just seems to be confused, a bit lost, something which his former carer hopes that she can remedy.

"I'm sorry for leaving you."

"Don't apologize." Adrien requests, his voice soft. "A lot of this it's my fault. I just- I lose control. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know that… I forgive you."

In a flash, everything changes. The teen's features soften. He's back with her. She grins just a bit so as to pull him out of whatever he's become trapped in. He comes over and settles next to her on the couch. They sit like that in silence for a few moments, allowing the emotion to die down somewhat before attempting to discuss matters any further. Both slouch slightly, their postures reminiscent of a couple exhausted after a long day's work. Although in practice, it's still comparatively early in the morning. Nathalie is patient. She's inclined to give him the opportunity to ask the questions this time, reasoning that he must have quite a few on his mind right now.

Finally, the teen summons the daring that he needs to ask:

"So… Who is he?"

"His name is Jacques Lambert. I've been seeing him for a while now." Nathalie confesses her gaze fixing the floor.

"You have?" Next to her, Adrien is surprised. He gets a nod of confirmation. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugs. It's not entirely an apology. Even here, right now, she's not entirely comfortable about discussing such matters. A part of the woman knew that it was perfectly illogical. If there is anyone on the planet that it's probably safe to open up to, it's Adrien Agreste. He will never tell another soul and she doesn't think of him as the judgmental type. Still, she struggles, it's difficult for her to share such things with anyone, even the young man.

"I'm not much good with my feelings." She admits after a little while. "I didn't know if it was going to last or be serious..."

"Where did you meet him?"

"The garage. He's-"

"What? Is he a mechanic or something?" There was a distinctively teasing tone to the kwami's voice.

"Is something wrong with that?" Nathalie responded in a somewhat clipped manner.

"No… It's just..." He fumbles catching sight of the cold look the woman gave him. "I thought you'd prefer, you know. Guys in suits."

"I'll admit… Me too but he was..." She pauses, evidently searching for the right word. "Nice."

There was a certain fascination behind Adrien's eyes. It tells her that he could quite happily go on talking about this subject for quite some time yet. She'll give him the opportunity later on, if he sees it fit. For the time being, there's a matter which seems to be a good deal more pressing which needs to be dealt with.

The woman is hesitant however. She treads carefully, reluctant to risk upsetting the teen or triggering an outburst. He seems calm enough right now but she's learned at her own expense that that can change in a heartbeat. So the woman draws quiet, silently wondering how best to bring up the matter. She wishes that it were possible to snap her fingers and erase much of what's happened. In retrospect, it had been a terribly stupid decision to keep any of this from a young man whom she knew to be fragile. So she sits there, rubbing her heel into the filthy carpet for lack of anything better to do.

"I didn't want to be in the way of your life..." She's not entirely sure if that's meant to hurt or not.

"I wanted you to be happy." He lowers his head, eyes closed as the explanations just come without him able to stop them. "I-I thought I would be in your way."

Nathalie can't quite manage to hold in a sigh. She shakes her head, unsure just how to respond. A part of her almost wants to laugh although there's something in her mind that lets her know that it would be inappropriate. Still, she finds herself smiling at the boy's good-intentions. In a way, it was almost painful just what he was willing to put himself through so as to ensure that those whom he cared for were happy and safe, even if it was at great cost to himself.

"Adrien, you would never be in the way… You know that I-" She almost says it but for whatever reason the words get snagged at the back of her throat. "There's always a place for you, come what may."

The teen hangs his head lowly. He seems beaten, defeated. In those few instants, it isn't an individual whom in the eyes of society has become a man that she sees, instead it's just Adrien, the boy. He seems lost, even with Plagg on his shoulder, providing a silent but none-the-less present sense of comfort.

Nathalie sees what's going to happen before it does. The teen leans forwards, wrapping his arms around her and latching on to the woman he's spent the past two months avoiding. He doesn't object. Instead, she places a hand on his back which she rubs gently. He doesn't seem to be crying, something which surprises his former carer somewhat. It would seem that he just needed the proximity. She's unsure if he would have been receiving any from his parents but Marinette, Plagg and Macaroon have been there for him. She stops herself from asking to many questions. There are many more important matters for her to attend to right at this instant.

"I want to go home..." Adrien tells her eventually.

"You will I promise-" She pauses for a few moments before adding. "-but there's some things we need to do first."


	34. Lines in the sand

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

It's something of an astonishing sight for Marinette Dupain-Cheng when Adrien returns to her, with Macaroon by his side. The young man appears to be none the worse for wear much to her astonishment. He even manages a smile, holding her close even as she calls him an idiot. He laughs, apologizes and promises never to do it again. She wants to believe him. In his arms, it's a challenge not to feel a certain amount of relief wash over her. Perhaps she's being foolishly optimistic but she likes to think that he's not going to run away this time.

Nathalie enters a moment later.

There's a certain amount of relief, a feeling that everything has more or less worked out as it was meant to. In some respects, in those few instants, she finds herself thinking that it's as if they've gone back to how things were a few weeks ago. Adrien feels, as she stays there in his arms for a few moments, more like the young man that she knows and loves than the man that he had become for some time. Marinette doesn't question where he was or just how the older woman had convinced him to come back but whatever she's did, the teen is grateful for it. She hopes that Nathalie can see that.

Tending to the bakery, the girl's parents give the group some time to themselves, sensing that they need the privacy. All the same, it's to Marinette's bedroom that the group retreats. It's a room that Nathalie's never set foot in before and perhaps the finds the pink a little bit overwhelming. At the very least, that's what the teen reasons upon taking note of her somewhat startled reaction. She shakes it off a moment later. There is quite a good deal on the woman's mind as they settle down calmly. For all that, they remain comparatively relaxed given the situation that they were in mere hours before.

There's a good deal on their minds as they sit there. Although efforts are made by humans and kwamis alike not to stare, all eyes still end up resting upon Adrien Agreste. The teen doesn't react or shift uncomfortably. With his head hung low, he seems only too aware that he needs to provide some explanations for what's happened:

"I'm sorry for running away Marinette. I was going to let you know what was going on as soon as I could." She doesn't tell him that it was okay because in her mind, it really wasn't. "I just wanted to make sure everything would work out first."

"You planned it?" The girl asks him a moment later.

Adrien doesn't deny it. It's clear that he's being 100% honest right now. The young man doesn't even attempt to conceal any of what he'd done. In some ways, it must be a comfort to her to know that he hadn't ever intended to abandon her. He explains his thought process, the fact that he had put a fair amount of reflection into it. His escape had been something that he had decided upon only a few hours after Nathalie had been driven away. He couldn't possibly envision living with anyone, even his parents, after they had forced him away from those he cared for.

He couldn't leave too soon however, his parents would have been expecting it. So he'd played along, allowed himself to be their perfect son. He'd done his best to numb himself. The medicine that he'd been prescribed to avoid any more potential violent outbursts had helped with that much apparently:

"I've got these..." He hands Nathalie an empty pillbox.

"Do they make things any better?"

"Mm…" The young man mutters, evidently a little uneasy. "Makes things numb. They don't hurt so much any more. I get kind of drowsy..."

"So are you going to keep on taking them?" Marinette asks him tentatively.

Adrien makes it quite clear that it's a touchy subject for him. From her perspective, she can see benefits to both. It all depends on how confident the teen is that he can keep himself under control. If he has some doubts, then it might pay for him to err on the side of caution. He's lashed out before. One of these days, Nathalie is certain that he will end up hurting someone more severely if he isn't able to dominate it. On the other hand of course, he'd been pressured into the whole thing by his mother and father. She could understand if he no longer wanted anything to do with them and by extension what they had forced him to go through.

He seemed to consider his options there in silence. The atmosphere was such that none of those with him were inclined to push for an answer. Instead they waited. After some time, neither of them seemed to be

"I got rid of them." He confesses somewhat sheepishly after a while. "I-I want to feel again, now that I'm away from them. I-It's coming back."

She can see that. It's apparent that Adrien is emotional although perhaps more sedate than he otherwise would have been in some other circumstances. It isn't anger that he's displaying right now so much as a sense of being lost. Marinette reaches out and takes his hand. The teen turns his head slowly to fix her. She offers him a gentle little smile, letting him know that he's safe now, in good company. If they were sitting a bit closer, no doubt they might just snuggle. It isn't Nathalie's presence so much as the knowledge that there's still some business which remains unresolved to deal with.

The figure of the Agrestes loom over them. They're inescapable. It prevents the group from relaxing. They will be coming back. They can't hide Adrien. Sooner or later, they will come for him. He knows that. They all do. That single piece of knowledge will make even the slightest notion of relaxing and breathing easily seem impossible to them.

So there's the question of just what they do. They have only a few options. Adrien has already chosen to run away, already showing his hand in so far as he's let them know that he has no intention of living with them for any longer than he physically has to. Whilst perhaps an admirable sentiment, it does leave them with the slight predicament that his parents are now actively searching for him. It means that they're going to have to make their move quickly, as something of a preemptive strike. For that, their son is going to have to contact them, something he's perhaps understandably reticent to do:

"I just want to forget about them!" He stresses to both women. "Can't I just get on with my life now?!"

"Not if they're going to come looking for you." Nathalie reminds him somewhat gravely. "They won't let you have any peace until they know where they stand. Besides, it might be better to let them know why you're doing this."

Adrien doesn't say anything, considering the woman's words in relative silence. He must know that he doesn't have much of a choice unless he plans on spending the rest of his life either in hiding or a permanent state of war. He doesn't say anything as he gets his phone out of his pocket, turns it on and looks up his mother's number.

He sends her a single message: "Get back home. I'll video call you."

They must practically teleport as five minutes later, his phone goes. Adrien holds off a bit, fixing the device with some sense of terror. For a moment, he looks as if he might be about to bolt. Marinette takes his hand. He tenses up, surprised. When he looks back to see her, it's almost as if he'd forgotten that she was there. The young woman smiles gently, confirming once again that he isn't alone. With a deep breath, he hits the button and a few seconds later, they find themselves faced with the young man's parents.

She feels the young man come close to backing away, retreating out of the sight. He doesn't however, managing to steady himself. He maintains a certain amount of dignity before them, managing to mask his fear and concern behind a cool exterior. It's in those few moments that Marinette realizes for the first time that he's downright terrified of his parents. It's all that it takes for her to decide that no matter what happens, he most definitely isn't going back to live with them. She doubts that he'll want to but she doesn't want to see him pressured into returning to a life which, she is convinced, is bound to destroy his soul.

"Adrien?! Where are you?!" Gabriel demands his voice harsh.

"I'm safe." The young man responds as calmly as possible. "Mother, father, we have to talk."

"Why not come home and talk?" Emilie suggests somewhat more gently.

"No… That's just it. That life you're trying to build for me. It isn't the life I want..."

His words aren't spoken all that kindly or delicately. They're delivered much like a sledgehammer but then Adrien's spent so long dancing around carefully that maybe it's time for him to speak his mind a little bit. Whilst his parents do certainly appear to be shocked, Marinette's not convinced that it's because he's expressing a sentiment that they had no clue existing so much as the fact that he's actively challenging them instead of shying away as he might have done once in the past.

His challenge is one which is met with hostility after a few moments. Neither of the Agrestes are particularly accustomed to having anyone speak out against them, so for their own flesh and blood to do so comes as something of a blow. It's clear that for a few moments, they can't quite work out how to react to it. Should they rage against him or on the contrary keep their heads and try to reason with their son. To Marinette's surprise, she notes that with every passing moment, he seems to be relaxing a little. As if he's no longer faced with demons but instead realizes that like him, they can be unsettled. For the first time, they seem vulnerable.

It gives him the courage to continue, not offering them a chance to add anything or question him any further.

"You're doing everything that you think is right but it isn't. Not for me. The truth is I was much happier before." He frowns, anger clearly taking over. "Both of you, when I didn't want to play ball with one of your schemes, you tried to stop me from being who I wanted to be, from being with the people that I love and I'm not going to live with that any longer!"

Once more, they seem to be too shocked to know how to respond. They just stood there blinking. Ironically, Marinette actually finds herself hoping that his words to hurt. That they remind his parents that their son can be cruel if he's hurt, that he can be pushed too far but most of all, she prays that they listen. She doesn't dare to hold her breath however, aware that Gabriel's generally inclined to blame anyone else before himself. She doesn't even know if he is capable of looking at his own actions and realizing that he was in the wrong.

Teeth clenched, Adrien isn't quite about to stop yet however. It's apparent that he isn't angry. He speaks to them plainly, as if he's laying out a business proposition more than anything else:

"I need you to respect my decisions and right now… I don't think you can." He lets out a sigh, his eyes lowering for a moment. "I need some time away from all that for a while. I think we all do. So, I won't be coming back to the mansion."

"Adrien…" Emilie dares to speak, her voice soft and gentle. "We're your parents."

"Then do what's best for me." Her son answers with a voice just as kind. "I'm not saying we never talk or see each other again but… I just need a while to clean my head."

There is a pause, something of a stunned silence. The Agrestes starred at their son as if he had just spoken in some foreign and utterly incomprehensible tongue. There was a certain amount of pain behind their eyes. It's enough to almost make Marinette feel sorry for them.

Quickly however, the shock behind Gabriel's eyes is replaced by a far more familiar rage. Those who knew him would doubtlessly be aware that he could be terrible when things didn't go his way. His teeth are gritted. There's a certain coldness which threatened to be terrible when the man unleashed the anger which was contained within him. His son doesn't back down. Sitting next to Adrien, Marinette senses his muscles tense up, as if he's preparing to receive a blow of some kind. Had they been in the same room, it would have been possible that the two of them would potentially have began to square up against one another. Thankfully, there is a certain amount of distance between the two of them.

Adrien's father opened his mouth, clearly he has a few things to say to his only son. Emilie however, stops him simply by placing her hands on his arm. She has a much softer, more compassionate look about her as she turns her attention towards her child. For a moment, something seems to pass between the two of them:

"Okay honey. You take your time. Remember though, we're here for you if you need us."

They hang up a few moments later, not giving Adrien enough time to protest or otherwise react to what had happened. Perhaps that was for the best. No doubt the couple had a good deal to discuss and to wrap their heads around these events and it was almost certainly preferable that they did that before tensions flared, which they almost certainly would if pushed too far. All the same, it seems to be a little bit abrupt.

The teen stares at the blank screen listlessly for a while. Evidently, he's struggling to process what just happened as well. It must be a lot for him. Perhaps he'll call this a victory or maybe in a few hours he'll bitterly regret this course of action and tell himself that he should have done things differently. It's quite tempting to leave him be for a little while so that he can try to make sense of a few things in private. Sometimes it can be a mistake to crowd Adrien, Nathalie knows that in the past he's not always welcomed it. On other occasions however, he's welcomed it.

He looks towards them a few moments later, visibly a little bit shaken. He speaks in a soft voice but one which betrays the fact that this isn't exactly the first time he's been around the block as far as his parents are concerned.

"I want to believe them..."

"You did the right thing, Adrien." Marinette tells him, reaching out to take his hand.

"I just hope they don't make me regret it..." Is all that he can think to answer.


	35. Respite

**_Author's note: Thanks again for all of your reviews._**

**_/_**

The weeks that follow seem to prove Adrien's initial fears to be relatively unfounded. The Agrestes are markedly quiet. They don't chase their son or even inquire after him. In fact, they must be waiting for the young to make a move as they don't make any attempt to contact him. It's more than their son could have hoped for.

He's back to sleeping on a couch, a far cry from his usual life of luxury yet the young man doesn't complain. There's a certain spring in his step as he walks. Every morning, he greets Nathalie with a smile. It's the mundane tasks that he seems to take a surprising amount of pleasure in carrying out. Just doing the dishes and trying his best to prepare a meal seem to entertain him. The woman he lives with certainly isn't about to complain about having a helper. His nightmares, whilst they haven't disappeared completely, he claims, aren't as severe as they once were.

"It's like I've started a new life!" He tells her and Marinette when the girl comes round for lunch one day. "I'm free!"

They want to believe him. He certainly doesn't appear to be lying. Nathalie remains cautious however, being naturally a little bit more cautious and pessimistic although some might argue also more worldly-wise. She doesn't want him to go back to how he was but the woman remains weary least he have a sudden relapse. The mind is a curious and somewhat fragile thing and Adrien's been forced to live through so much. All it would take was one little nightmare, not even related to any of his trauma and she fears that it would be enough to cause him to feel as if all of his perceived progress was for nothing. She doesn't want to see him break again…

He's had his ups and downs previously although this high period definitely seems to be lasting longer than she's accustomed to. So she dares to hope that this rupture with his previous life might have caused something to shift inside of that head of his, causing it to click back into place and to chase the darkness away. Either that or he's just fooling himself. She can't be entirely sure. Whatever the case, a few days in even Nathalie is growing relaxed and confident around him. He seems to generally be embracing this new chance that he's found himself offered.

After a week or so, the young man makes a request which both catches her off-guard and doesn't:

"Your boyfriend, Jacques… Would it be okay if I met him?"

She can't very well refuse. A few days ago, she might have had some reservations but at this point, she feels as if he's ready. She trusts his judgment. After all, it's just going to be a little discussion. Jacques is, for the most part, a calm man and he knows enough about the current situation – although far from everything – to know to tread lightly around the young man. It's not as if she can realistically keep those two parts of her life separate indefinitely. Sooner or later the two of them will have to meet. Either that or she'll have to give up one. Not something she particularly wants to do.

So the man is summoned for a lunch. It seems perfect. Not too long, not too short. There's no formality involved. She even takes the precaution of ensuring that it's a lunch at home. It makes this as relaxed as possible. There's nobody else to take into account. Just the three of them. She wants to take things slowly. There's a possibility, albeit a small one she feels, that the two might not get along all that well. If that happens it's best that they're someplace private.

He comes round on time for Tuesday lunch. The man had been working although he'd clearly made some effort to clean himself up. He seems to be relaxed enough, as does Adrien. That allows Nathalie who had perhaps been more nervous than both of them put together to breathe just that little bit easier. Instead on focusing on ensuring that everything goes swimmingly, she chooses to take a chance and allow things to flow, consequently to try and enjoy herself.

"Nathalie's told me a lot about you." The man tells Adrien upon shaking his hand.

"I dread to think." Was the teen's comparatively jovial reply.

"Nah. She says you're a good kid."

The two get chatting. It's very much a case of the two of them getting to know one another. Up until this point, Nathalie's only told the teen a little bit about the man. Not because there's anything she particularly wants to hide but simply because there was only so much that she could manage to say about him to give the young man an idea of what he was like. She's told him a few stories, tried to pain a vague picture for him. Adrien's never told her what exactly just what or how much he saw and she's never asked. Only that he was there one night on a neighboring rooftop watching when she had company. She knows that there's a possibility he could have witnessed a great deal but decides against questioning him about it and hopes that he had the sense of modesty to look away.

So this is very much new territory.

She focuses more reading on Adrien than she does on Jacques, simply because she's known him longer and finds it to be a considerably easier task. He seems to be relaxed. The smile he wears isn't the one that he forces himself to adopt when he's trapped with little other option. He seems to be fascinated by the man. It's the novelty of it, Nathalie supposes, this isn't something that he's ever encountered before: a new partner. She'd shied away from such things as Delphine. Gabriel's shadow had been an oppressive presence which she had struggled to rid herself of.

"So, you deal with all the stuff like limos?" Adrien questions the man, seemingly intrigued by his line of work.

"Not just but we do get a lot of the fancy cars given that it's sort of our specialty." He pauses a moment, glancing briefly towards Nathalie before continuing. "If you're interested in that sort of thing, maybe you'd like to come round and have a look?"

"I'd love to!" The teen pauses a moment before shifting so as to face Nathalie. "Is that okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" She replies with a gentle smile. "-and you don't need to ask for my permission. You're an adult now, remember?"

The joyful smile she gets might seem misplaced to some but to Nathalie, it's confirmation that she's doing something right.

Jacques is perhaps something of a throwback to the people whom Dylan and Delphine had socialized with as opposed to the adults whom Adrien Agreste typically found himself exposed to. Whilst he's well-mannered enough, he seems to be a bit worldly-wise, a far cry from Mayor Bourgeois. The teen tries his best to study how the stranger interacts with Nathalie. He's never known the woman to be fond of anyone in that way and he's curious to see just why this mechanic is different. If nothing else, Adrien notes that Nathalie tolerates him calling her "Nat", not a given.

He has to leave at quarter-to-one so as to get back to work but leaves Adrien the address of the garage and tells him to drop by whenever he feels like it. The teen promises to do so. When he does depart, the young man turns towards Nathalie. She smiles at him but quickly realizes that there's a question coming. Hardly unexpected.

"_Man_, can I ask you something?"

"You're going to." She replies with a gentle and encouraging smile.

"Why him?" The teen stutters a bit before adding a few words quickly. "I mean. I like him, he's nice but- Are you into that sort of thing again?"

"It's..." Her voice trails off as she thinks about the appropriate response. "I don't know exactly. Men had been asking me from time to time. Some I didn't dislike all of them or even most of them. Then, Jacques did and I don't know… Something just clicked. I said "yes"."

Adrien blinks a few times. She knows that he's hopelessly romantic.

She'd been aware that he tended to drift towards such sappiness even before the woman had known of his secret identity. Perhaps her attitude confuses him a little. He doesn't know about some of the follies that she's given way to in the past and the worst of all. The one which she's not sure she can ever tell him about. If he knew that secret, things would be different. Better or worse? She can't really say. It doesn't matter at any rate the woman reasons.

It's all in the past now.

The teen shifts once more as he tentatively asks her:

"And… He makes you happy?"

"Yes. He does."

Again, Adrien seems to need to think about the matter before he can give her any form of answer. She doesn't rush him, reasoning that it's quite a lot for him to take in. It isn't something minor that the teen is being asked to consider. At this point, he's more or less chosen to live with her. That happens to have coincided with a period where for the first time, she finds herself willing to share her life with another. He might very well be about to become a part of that. As far as she's concerned, he has all the time that he needs. Days and weeks if that's what's required.

He surprises her with a smile which she knows well enough. For a moment, she contemplates bracing herself but it proves to be unnecessary. The hug that she receives is a gentle one, not one of the back crushers that he's been known to deal out from time to time. She laughs gently slightly surprised by the sudden show of affection.

"If you're happy, I'm happy!" He proclaims quietly.

She smiles but says nothing.

They'll head down south soon, back to Provence, to the _Cabanon_. Perhaps she'll invite Jacques to come along. She hasn't quite decided yet. A few more meetings and dinners will be required before she can make her final decision. For the time being, Nathalie chooses to embrace the moment.

For whatever reason, Adrien seems to be recovering. It feels as if the last pieces of Dylan which he'd never truly been able to shake off are slowly but surely falling away and the young man that's taking his place is closer to the boy that she can remember is taking his place. She's not complaining.


	36. Raptured

The southern air is dry and warm, even late at night it is more than possible to walk along in a tee-shirt and be comfortable.

Warm laughter echoes out coming from a young man as they walk down a dirt path. Enough alcohol had been consumed to make Nathalie reluctant to drive. It isn't that she doubts her ability to do so but one breathalyzer test (although in the middle of nowhere that seems unlikely) would be enough to see her lose her license. She doesn't want that so contents herself with the walk back. There's a full moon or near enough so they have enough light to follow the dirt track back to the little Cabanon on the hill.

Adrien had enjoyed himself. Nathalie knows this as he has told her as much three times in the past five minutes. She smiles, sometimes tells him to calm down a little bit. He does but then gets worked up once more a short while later. She shakes her head, aware of just what affliction he's currently suffering from but unwilling to spell it out to him for the fourth time. He's not quite annoying enough to warrant her losing her temper and the alcohol in her system no doubt makes her somewhat more tolerant herself.

He is however very talkative indeed. It's the fifth time that Adrien has recounted the same story about a game of pétanque, albeit a somewhat different variant of it, when Nathalie finally breaks and informs him:

"You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk..." He answers somewhat defensively. "Just happy."

"Happy having had a few glasses of wine." Nathalie reminds the young man.

"-and a beer." Jacques is quick to chip in.

Adrien goes silent, the heat rising to his cheeks. Nathalie hadn't kept track of exactly how much he had had. Perhaps that had been a mistake. She doesn't think it's necessarily all that much, he's not _that_ drunk. Merry or rather tipsy might be a better way of putting it. Whatever the case, the few classes he's had have had a certain effect on him, no doubt because he's not used to consuming alcohol in the first place. Away from the crowds back at the village fete, the effect is a little more noticeable.

As he skips ahead of them a bit, Nathalie can't help but turn to her companion and tell him somewhat playfully:

"I blame you for this..."

"Look at it this way: he'll wake up tomorrow with a headache, unable to even crawl out of bed and he'll never touch another drop of the stuff again."

"Yes…" Nathalie mutters decidedly dubiously. "That's exactly how young people's minds work."

"Yours did, I'm sure."

She offers the man a coy smile, one which is open to interpretation. She likes to leave some parts of her life to the imagination. It's entertaining to watch as Adrien and now Jacques try to separate fact from fiction and decide upon what sort of individual she used to be. Maybe one day she'll dig out some old photos and show them… For the time being, let them wonder.

They manage to get back to Nathalie's old home eventually. Her grandmother is already in bed so some effort is made to be a little bit quieter to avoid disturbing the elderly lady. She won't appreciate being woken up by any of them. Unfortunately, Adrien seems to be inclined to be a bit louder than usual, having seemingly lost all control or at least awareness of how loudly he's speaking. With a little bit of coaxing, they manage to get him back to his room. Plagg seems decidedly unimpressed with his partner, manifesting himself only once he's sure that Jacques is out of earshot.

"Make sure he doesn't throw himself out of a window..." Nathalie pleads quietly with the kwami.

"You humans are such silly creatures."

Nathalie struggles to disagree. The kwami floats off, promising to keep an eye on his partner. An unnecessary precaution. When she goes to check on him, just to ensure that he made it into his bed, the woman finds that he's out like a light, lying face down on his bed. Macaroon is next to him and Plagg just on the pillow. Is he comfortable like that? She can only assume that he is as it's a position that he seems to quite enjoy sleeping in. The woman smiles fondly, contemplating him for a few moments before whispering a quiet "_bonne nuit_". He stirs momentarily, perhaps not entirely out for the count, muttering something in return before drifting off once more.

The woman is in her bed a few moments later, dreaming her own dreams.

How far south of Paris are they here? 400 miles? 500?

Adrien doesn't know exactly one thing he's certain of is that it feels like a completely different planet. It's like they're so far away from everything here that his other life never even existed. The only element allowed to penetrate this sanctuary is Marinette. Even his other friends don't know where he is. He regrets that but apparently going on vacation with his father's former assistant to her grandmother's in the south of France is something of an unusual practice and therefore one best kept on a strictly need-to-know basis. The others wouldn't understand or if they did, it would lead to some questions with rather awkward answers being asked.

Right now it scarcely matters. He's safe. Everything else is a world away. He likes the smell of dirt which fills the air. The fact that this old house is relatively cramped and that it's impossible to lose one another within it. It's restful not to hear cars passing but instead the song of the crickets. The mosquitoes are a bit of a pain and he can't claim that the small of the nearby herd of goats is necessarily an enjoyable one. At this point however, he's so far away from the world that he once knew that he doesn't care. He can rest easily…

That night. He doesn't dream. Despite his claims, his head is a little bit cloudy. His senses aren't all that far gone. The drink allows him to loosen up and let out some of the pent up excitement and relief which he's been containing within himself.

"Adrien. Adrien!" A voice pesters him quietly.

"Five more minutes _Ma_-"

A hand plasters itself over his mouth. It's enough to cause him to wake up with a fright. His vision is faint and blurry. The light hasn't been turned on which only serves to confuse him further. His heart is racing, panic taking over for a few moments. Eventually, he's able to make out a familiar figure. As he recognizes her, he finds himself to be calming down somewhat. Although his confusion remains. Nathalie places a finger over her lips, begging him to be quiet. It's only then that he realizes that Macaroon is growling loudly.

Suddenly, he's scared.

"There are two cars outside." The woman informs him in a hushed whisper. "Take your shoes and go hide under the chicken coop. Don't come out, no matter what."

"Wh-" He begins, wondering where to start.

"No time. Don't argue. Just go."

Too confused to protest, he stands up, staggering over to the door. Nathalie reaches out, takes his arm instead and pushes him towards the window. On the ground floor, it isn't all that difficult for him to get outside. She hands him his shoes and then, in a flash, the woman is gone, disappearing back into the house. His head feels sluggish, like something isn't quite right. So it's Plagg who manages to drag him over towards the chicken coop.

The old wooden shack sits a little bit above the dirt, propped up on bricks. It's possible for the Adrien to slip himself underneath the structure. The smell is decidedly unpleasant. The stench causes him to curl his nose up. Despite the brightness of the moon, he struggles to make anything else out. His heart thunders in his chest as he waits. Whilst he struggles to pull himself together, his ears are able to pick up some voices. He can't see who they belong to but there are some lights on the other side of the house, evidently from a car, likely more than one. After a few moments, a figure whom he initially thinks belonged to Gorilla came round the side. The teen shrinks away, sheltering himself to the best of his ability.

The stranger walks slowly, peering in the windows shining in a flash light as he does so. He goes around to the back of the house but doesn't move from there. Adrien might have asked some more questions if it weren't for the sudden eruption of shouting. Concerned, he looks back around. He can recognize Jacques and Nathalie's grandmother. They sound a mixture of angry and frightened. The teen shifts as carefully and as quietly as possible in an attempt to get a better view.

He finds one eventually. The family has been lead out to the front of the house by about four men whom he had never before seen in his life. From inside, the dogs can be heard still barking. They must have been locked up somehow. They are a bunch of brutes, he could see that much by how they handled Nathalie and Jacques. Anger courses through him as he watches the former being shoved roughly to her knees by one of the invaders. There didn't seem to be much of a need to do so, she's being surprisingly compliant, unlike her companion who seems far more resolute when it comes to fighting. A few words from the woman next to him, which Adrien can't make out, are enough to silence or at least calm him.

It's apparent that the men are looking for something or perhaps more likely Adrien realizes, someone. It's him that they want. Naturally, that's why Nathalie shepherded him out here, to safety…

He can't leave her there!

"Plagg, claws-"

"Wait!" The kwami stops him. "You transform here, they'll know it was you!"

"With a mask?"

"Even for a dumb human, it won't be hard to put together. Why would Cat Noir be out here in the middle of nowhere?!"

"But… _Man_..."

The strangers are shouting at the group but Nathalie in particular. Adrien realizes quickly that they're demanding to know where he is. Still, the woman remains made of stone. She says nothing, giving them a cold, defiant look. It's quite apparent that they know he's here and given whom their addressing they seem to also be aware of who is most likely to know where he is. One of them is on a phone, speaking with… _Someone_.

They are losing patience, that much is clear. At this point, the intruders are speaking so loudly that even from where he is hidden, he can hear them. He wonders briefly why Nathalie isn't fighting back. He knows that she packs a deceptively powerful punch and has some serious moves. His best guess is that her grandmother and Jacques don't and that she's unwilling to put them in any danger. That and the invaders are exceptionally huge. Evidently the risk doesn't seem worth it. Tempers are beginning to flare however as the woman repeatedly refuses to make any attempt to call for him. Adrien closes his eyes, doing his best to block out what's going on.

When the teen hears her voice, he can't help but look back.

"He isn't a dog." Nathalie informs her captors.

"No, but he listens to you. Call him!"

"No."

The man who seems to be in charge lets out a heavy and regretful sigh. He lowers her head, shaking it slowly. Nathalie's resolve however remains firm. She sits a little bit taller and more dignified. It might be some ungodly time in the morning and the odds seem to be anything but favorable, there's no fear behind her eyes. She remains unwavering. If anything there's something about her attitude which seems to be something of a challenge, informing those who stand before her that she has no intention of cooperating in the slightest and that they're going to have to do their worst.

In those few moments, his admiration for her is beyond words.

"Just remember that we tried to keep this polite."

The man standing to Nathalie's right gives his boss a glance. The signal is a very slight nod, permission to go ahead. For whatever reason, Adrien finds himself suddenly fearful. He looks away.

It means that he doesn't see what happens next. He hears it though. Well… Not the action in itself but certainly its consequences. There's an awful lot of shouting. It's more like panicked and distressed screams from the woman's grandmother. Jacques however is enraged. Shouting and roaring, cursing them. It sounded like something of a scuffle had broken out. It only lasted a few seconds before once more, some form of calm had returned. In many ways, that proved to be worse. It was the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what had occurred that caused him to look back.

Nathalie is lying on her side. She doesn't appear to be moving all that much. Is she dead? The young man can't quite help but peer towards her desperate to see even the slightest sign of life. The gloom of the night makes the headlights from the cars seem dazzling. He can only just see her silhouette. So being able to tell if she's bleeding or even still breathing is impossible. He holds his breath, biting at his lower lip. Even Plagg seems a little shocked, starring at the scene in silent horror. One of the men stands over her, fists clenched. The fact that he's still yelling, demanding to know just where Adrien Agreste is is, in an odd way, somewhat comforting. At least he knows that she's still alive. You don't yell at a dead woman. That brief amount of relief is quickly forgotten about when the man reaches down and grabs her around the throat. The woman makes it onto her knees, clawing at his hand but unable to pry it away.

Adrien didn't look away for the second blow.

Something snaps within him. He doesn't question it. Logic is gone. Nathalie's pleas for him to remain silent are forgotten. Does Plagg tell him to stay back? He can't say. It's all just white noise at this point. Suffering from tunnel vision and if he's honest an urge to inflict pain, Adrien charges out from where he'd been sheltering. He doesn't care that he catches his back on the side of the coop as he goes. All he has eyes for is the man before him. Even his accomplishes are forgotten about. He just wants to hurt this one man for no other reason than because he just did the unthinkable and struck Nathalie.

He sees one of the men running towards him. For a moment, he assumes that he's about to be tackled. A second later, there's a sharp pain in his left shoulder. Before he could question it or the wires that he's suddenly aware of, it's like he's hit by a truck. He lets out a brief but shrill shout as all of his muscles tense up at once sending him crashing to the ground. He collides with something.

Dazed, the young man can't think to react. He simply lies there, breathing deeply as he struggles to regain a sense of where he is and what just happened. He was vaguely aware of someone grabbing a hold of his wrists, slapping some steel restraints on. Still, he can't manage to pull himself together to do anything about it. He groans in pain. The time it takes for him to realize that he needs to stand up or at least do something, he finds himself being dragged somewhat, bundled into a car. He's beginning to pull himself together when he feels someone tug at his hair. They grab at his arm, pulling it over and turning it round. There's a sharp prick in his arm.

He panics as the door is shut. His head in spinning.

The last thing he hears is shouting two voices shouting out for him. Then he gives in to the darkness.


	37. Through the bars

**_Author's note: Hi. Thanks for all of the reviews. Just for clarity, Miraculous Ladybug taking place in France means that at 18 you're considered to be a legal adult and no longer under any parental jurisdiction and can drink._**

**_/_**

"Adrien… Adrien wake up. You're going to have to walk, okay?"

The voice speaking to him is soft and concerned. He wants to do what it says but he can't. His head is slow and his legs are heavy. He drifts off once more.

He's in a state of semi-consciousness but feels the slight crisp chill of the morning air. It isn't all that unpleasant, not in the heat of the south. His head is hanging low, rolling but he can't do anything about it. His eyes flutter. He drifts in and out of consciousness. There's a sense of exhaustion which he just can't quite seem to shake. Every time it feels like he might be able to haul himself out of the darkness, something seemingly grabs him, dragging him back into it. His legs are scraping against the ground, it's a bit painful. He wants to do something about that but can't. What his mind desires and what his body is willing to accomplish are two different things altogether.

Everything seems slow, dull. It's like he's not quite plugged into the world around him. He wants to scream, to pull himself out of the darkness but is unable to do so. Trapped within the confines of his own mind, the teen does the only thing that he feels he can and tries to work out where he is. His memory is gone. He can't say where he is or who the people around him – for he knows they're there. Perhaps it would be easier to just drift off again and escape this numbness...

Being thrown without ceremony, like a rug and landing face down on some concrete, that, he feels.

He lets out a grunt of pain as the wind is knocked out from him. The impact must cause his body to pump some adrenaline through his system as for a few brief moments, he regains some sense of control. Instinct demands that he react to this attack. His mind is too foggy to determine whether that meant fighting back or fleeing. He can do neither as it turned out. His legs and arms are heavy. They wobble and whilst he might able to move them to a degree, they're unable to bear his weight. He flops around for a few moments, like a fish that's been dragged out of water. Even turning himself over would be welcome.

There are hands on his back. Gentle but firm, they discourage him from moving around as he had been. Instead, they assist him in turning over, allowing him to lie on his side. He allows them to move his arms and leg around, it's not as if he could resist, even if he wanted to. They might be speaking to him, he can't quite tell… At any rate, he can't answer. Weary, he lies there, doing his best to recover and come back to himself. The teen breathes deeply, as if he's trying to push out whatever is poisoning him by allowing oxygen to take its place.

He wasn't entirely sure just how long he spent lying there. It felt as if it could have been hours as easily as it could have been minutes. All he knows is that he isn't alone and whoever is with him is the only to have shown him any kindness so far.

Eventually, he musters the strength of body and presence of mind to open his eyes once more. He manages to glance up at the figure of whoever is currently with him. It's dark and his vision is still blurry, so he ends up going more on instinctual feelings than he does anything that he can actually see. In his sluggish and swimming mind, there's only one person who would be here for him right now, who would be able to comfort him like this.

"Mom?"

"No…" The voice speaks softly, a mercy in itself as he finds himself with sensitive ears. "It's me, Nathalie."

"Oh… Close enough." He groans, struggling to pull himself back together. "Better..."

He tries to sit back up but thinks better of it. Nathalie pushes him back down gently, ensuring that he doesn't harm himself. His gaze travels around… Wherever they are. The space he finds himself in is dark. It's a challenge to make out anything so he relies on his other senses to try and get some sort of a feeling. It's warm and dry. There's a stench of dirt and dust, oil as well. He's lying on concrete. Ordinarily he might complain but it's pleasantly cool against his skin. One thing's for sure, they're somewhere he can't identify.

After a while, he gives up and asks:

"Where are we?"

"I don't know exactly..." The woman next to him responds quietly. "A warehouse… We were driving for a few hours."

"Did they drug me?" The question feels stupid but he's obliged to ask all the same.

"They put you under for a while, yes."

He summons what little strength he has at his disposal to try and sit up a little. It's then that he realizes that he's in handcuffs. It would seem that whoever their captors are thorough. Perhaps it would be simpler for him to just stay here like that. Adrien shifts to look at Nathalie searching for some kind of comfort from her. It's then that he notices something – well, a couple of things – in the moonlight.

It takes him back. He remembers that they were taken. How they were taken. A lot of it is blurred but the pain he'd felt comes back suddenly. That wasn't what struck with him the most however. In the darkness, it was difficult to tell but what he'd initially mistaken for shadows cast across the woman's face, he soon realizes are no such things. Instantly, anger takes over him. He growls as the memories come back. Nathalie must sense that he's angry. She looks away for a moment, it dawns on him that she doesn't have her glasses either. She must be almost blind.

"I'm going to-"

"It's okay Adrien..." She speaks softly, soothingly.

"They hurt you Nathalie..." He mutters through clenched teeth.

"I know but..."

"That's enough over there!"

A loud voice shouts at them harshly. It causes Adrien to jump. In the corner of the room, he sees a tall figure. It's one of them who first took them. Has he been there the whole time or did he just sneak in and the teen failed to notice? It doesn't seem to matter all that much.

Nathalie becomes subdued but refuses to back away from the still recovering teen. On the other hand, he doesn't feel quite so timid. There's a sense of rage and injustice, perhaps some fear as well. He finds himself searching in his mind for the fact of the one who had been responsible for striking the woman a few hours ago, this isn't him. So Adrien stands down for a moment. As soon as the man is content that they're going to be quiet, he goes back to leaning against the wall. His eyes don't leave the two of them however. The eighteen-year-old finds himself assuming that their captor has been there the whole time. Why he suddenly decided to object to their communicating is beyond him.

"Why are we here?!" Adrien demands, he wants to yell but his vocal chords won't permit it. "Why did you take us?! Answer me!"

"Shut up kid!"

"Was it my parents?! Did they put you up to this?!"

"Adrien..." Nathalie's pleads with him discretely.

"They did, didn't they?" He ignores her, anger taking hold. "How much are they paying you?!"

The man's had enough. Taking only a few strides, the stranger was standing in front of him. Sensing what's about to happen, Adrien did his best to shift round. He finds his legs to be heavy and rather more unresponsive than he had been expecting. Evidently whatever they injected him with is still present in his system, getting pumped around, slowing him down. He can't escape. Nathalie moves over towards him but finds herself being pushed aside roughly, as if she was nothing. It's a momentary distract, the teen looks over to her panicked.

The slap reverberates through him. He's not sure if he's ever been given a blow quite like it. Stunned, the teen's head falls back. Adrien likes on the ground for a short while, stunned. Slowly but surely, the pain begins to register as a burning on the right side of his cheek. Eventually, his gaze drifts back up to see the man who just struck him. Clenching his teeth to avoid letting out any more complaints, he glared coldly at his attacker. The man raises his hand once more, apparently judging that the lesson has not been learned yet.

"You've made your point." Nathalie grumbles from next to him.

She probably spares him another brow. The man grumbles something under his breath about keeping his mouth shut from now on. The clout that Nathalie receives as their captor passed by is arguably not quite as harsh. It's clearly intended to let her know she's not to be making demands. The woman takes it without letting out so much as a sound. Something tells Adrien that this isn't the first time that she's found herself on the front side of a fist since they were taken. He growls quietly but holds off doing anything physical about it.

Right now, it would only aggravate the situation.

So the two of them sit there. Well, Adrien just lies. There's a pain in his shoulder and two cuts which have obviously bled, it would seem that he was struck with something there. No doubt it's what had brought him down in the first place a few hours ago. He's still trying to get a feel for his body. He's not too sure what they injected him with but it was certainly potent. Even now, it's tempting to just close his eyes and drift off to sleep. He fights against it, reasoning that he needs to keep Nathalie company, even if he does so silently. She sits with her back to an iron beam, her head hung lowly, seemingly exhausted. It's as he lies there that Adrien comes to a startling realization. He still has his ring. Indeed, after a few seconds, he spots Plagg. The creature is hiding nearby.

Why not take his ring? He almost asks but thinks better of it. Perhaps these men don't know exactly what he's wearing. That might point to the culprits not being sent by his parents. Surely they would have removed his source of power.

The second thing that occurs to him as he stands there is that he's in his pajamas, as is Nathalie. Neither of them had been offered the opportunity to change before coming here. They've only got bare feet to boot. In his mind, he assumes that it will limit any chance they have of escaping – meaning that it could easily have been a conscious decision on their captor's part. These men aren't amateurs, that much is clear. Which is all the more troubling. Does anyone else know they've been taken?.. Marinette's probably sleeping soundly in her bed at this time, blissfully unaware of what's befallen him and his guardian. Nathalie contents herself with closing her eyes, blocking out the world around her.

There will be no Ladybug coming from them. Worse, in her current state, Nathalie might not be much help if she can't see anything. He knows how terrible her vision is without her glasses. If nothing else, the woman has already received enough of a beating for the teen to be reluctant to put her in any more danger. No… If there's any more risks to be taken, then he will be the one to take them.

Eventually, one of the other men, the ringleader – or at least that's whom Adrien assumed him to be – makes his presence known. He calls for the man who has been watching them and suddenly, they are left alone in the dark.

"Man… Do you know anything?" Adrien takes a chance and whispers after they've been left alone.

"Not much. They weren't very talkative..." She glances nervously towards the door, keen to ensure that they are being left alone before continuing. "We can speculate."

"This is my parents, isn't it?!" It's less of a question, more of a challenge for her to refute him.

"It seems likely. Given that they happened to know you and I would be at the Cabanon..." Nathalie lets out in a sigh before quickly adding. "Keep your temper, we might not have long."

Adrien nods. Reluctantly, he must agree that raging isn't going to do him much good. Perhaps he'll be reunited with his parents, then he might be able to put his temper to better use. Until then, he's got to keep a level head. There are other matters which need to be addressed right now. First on his mind is just why they've done this. Abduction is a pretty big offense. If this were to get out… It would mean the two of them going behind bars for quite some time.

"A risk like this..." Adrien mutters quietly to himself. "They must be planning something."

"Probably." Nathalie seems to have slipped into one of her monosyllabic mode.

"What? What could be worth this? I mean..." He pauses, wondering how to phrase this. "They must know this isn't going to make me want to go back with them."

"They might not need to convince you to like them." Her eyes open once more, fixing him this time. "With a wish..."

Nathalie's voice trails off. She doesn't need to finish her sentence. He understands the implications. A wish is limitless. With the two miraculous united together, they could quite literally do whatever they pleased. For a moment, Adrien considers the possibilities. They could force him to like them or perhaps simply change things so that he'd never left them in the first place. Both prospects cause the young man's skill to crawl as he instinctively rejects the notions. They're just hypothesis at this point but he treats them as if they are a very real threat.

"I'd rather die!" The teen snaps.

"Shh!" Plagg dares to drift just a little bit closer to him. "Don't worry. It won't get that bad. We just need to figure out a way out of this."

"I could transform." Adrien suggests eyeing the door carefully. "Nobody here to see. I could use cataclysm and take down a wall, carry you out and go and get some help."

"We might be a few kilometers away from any towns." Nathalie informs him. "Could you carry me that far?"

"Probably, I mean-"

"I thought I told you two to shut it!"

This time, it's all four of the men from earlier who enter. Adrien is quiet instantly as Plagg hides once more. They storm over to the two of them but stop a little short. It's clear that the intention is to intimidate. It's probably successful given that neither of them have it in them to stand or to otherwise resist at this point. The leader contemplates his two prisoners for a few moments. The teen dares to hope that they might be about to be provided with some manner of explanation regarding just what all of this is about…

It's a few seconds before finally, he speaks:

"Okay. Here's how it's going to go. Both of you are going to sit in the back of the car quietly. If you try to signal anyone or any other funny business, you _will_ regret it, as will your friend." He allows that to settle in before continuing. "Are you going to have to go for sleep again Goldilocks?"

As if on cue, two of the men approach him. They grab him by the arms. Initially, Adrien intends to fight back, to inflict some pain. There's a voice inside of his head which whispers of another plan, especially when he spots the needle being brought towards him. Instead of giving them hell. He allows himself to sag, forcing them to actively strain if they want to pick him up. The teen plays the game, pretending to attempt to stand but not quite being able to do so. No sense in them thinking he's got his strength back quite yet… One of the men looks back to their boss and the other with the syringe and shakes his head: another dose would be overkill.

They're forced to practically drag him back to the car. It's different to the large black vehicles they had initially been packed into. This one is far more mundane, less noticeable; just an ordinary red saloon. The rear windows were tinted, which was perhaps the only thing marking the older vehicle out as being unusual. There is another vehicle however, a larger more expensive one. It's impossible to see the occupant but someone is clearly inside, the ringleader of the men who have taken them seems to be discussing something with the unidentified third-party. He can't ask any more questions before he finds himself being shoved into the back seat of the car.

They're bundled into the back without much ceremony. One of their captors sits between them, making communicating impossible. Adrien gets a single pained look in before he is told to fix straight ahead of him and nowhere else.

He bites his tongue. Patience is key… He'll get his opening soon enough.


	38. Giving way

**_Author's note: Once more thanks for all the reviews!_**

**_/_**

Something is terribly wrong.

For the longest time, she is unable to identify just what it is. She can't move. Which the woman reasons must be a sign that something isn't right. She finds herself a prisoner of her own body. Trapped in a sense of semi-consciousness, Nathalie can't even think clearly enough to recall just how she ended up here. Here seems like a decidedly abstract concept. In the face of such uncertainty, it's very tempting just to close her eyes and drift back to sleep. It feels as if she's been sleeping or if she hasn't that she really should be. The exhaustion which afflicts her is unlike any that she's ever felt before, it's actively draining her strength.

Eventually, she manages to cough. It isn't much but that single action serves to bring her back into the world. It does so both simply and unpleasantly by causing all of her aches and pains to become immediately apparent to her. It's a searing feeling which courses through seemingly every part of her body. It's at its worse in her head and the back of neck however. She can only equate that particular sensation with the entirety of her being thrown into a brick wall at high speed. It's blinding, dazzling and makes it impossible to think or even particularly to move.

All she can do is lie there, gasping for breath and try to make sense of this. It's a dreadful state for her to be in and right now, she has no idea just how exactly she got into it. Her vision is blurry and it seems to be dark. Whether that's related to what's happened to her or if the world genuinely is like that, she can't say. Sounds and even smells have become equally distorted. She'd say that she was underwater if it weren't for the fact that she's pretty much sure that she isn't. Finally, she manages with a certain amount of effort to make a sound. It isn't formulated enough to be words, her tongue's not ready for that yet. What comes out is more of a moan of sorts, half-conscious, wondering just what exactly has befallen her and how she can remedy it.

It takes a while before she's able to turn somewhat. She's only prompted to do so when she realizes that there's movement out there. People… She can hear there voices but can't quite make sense of what they're talking about for all that. That little bit of movement causes her to become aware that there's something wet on her face. She raises her hand to it. Instantly, the woman encounters a sharp stinging sensation. Pulling her hand down, somewhat mindlessly, she decides to see just what this warm sticky liquid is. Inspecting her fingers, she sees some red.

The realization that she's injured acts as something of a slap in the face. It wakes her up. Panic causes adrenaline to course through her veins.

She's able to make some sense of where she is. It's the back of a car… That much she can tell simply from the comparatively enclosed surroundings. Something's not quite right however… It takes her a few moments to realize that they've crashed. She understands that much both from a logical deduction (why else would she be in such pain right now?) and as slowly but surely, the state of the vehicle becomes apparent. The front of it is all crumpled up and the windshield is cracked and bent beyond all recognition. It must have been quite the blow to see this happen to them. Did they hit something or something hit them? Her mind won't travel that far back to allow her to know.

For whatever reason, the woman finds herself reaching out to the seat next to her. It's empty. She's been left alone.

Dazed, she struggles to pull herself together. Her vision is blurry. There's a ringing in her ears. There are people outside, either they don't know that she's in there or have other things on their mind. She'll make some commotion, in a moment. For the time being, she contents herself with breathing deeply, trying to regain some sense of self. Unable to exert herself physically, Nathalie casts her mind back, trying to figure out just how she came to be in this situation.

They were driving along, following the car in front. It had been the same mandatory silence all the way along. Then, in a flash something had changed. She can remember being shocked, startled. A terrible feeling had taken hold of her. She'd protested, shouted a desperate warning. Someone next to her had been struck but she didn't mind. Her head hurts as she tries to think back. It's clear however in her mind that she'd been frightened, not because of what had happened but what she could see was going to occur. Then… Blackness. For whatever reason she can't recall just what had happened.

The door next to her is opened. She hears a man shouting at her but can't quite bring herself to respond. She's aware that there's a pair of strong arms around her. They unbuckle her belt and proceed to drag her, not too carefully, out of the vehicle. She lets out a weak groan of protest but is unable to actually do anything about it. The strangers dump her unceremoniously in the dirt without bothering to check if she is injured – which she's certain that she is. It's clear that they don't care about her as they step round her, still tending to the car for some strange reason.

Who are these men to care so little about another's life?

As confused as she is right now, she realizes that these are not her friends, nor are they concerned bystanders. For a moment, it feels like she might just be about to lose consciousness once more. Perhaps she would find it easier to slip away if it weren't for the face which lies just behind her eyes. There's something that she's missing. She can remember the terror of being in the car, presumably mere moments before they had crashed. It hadn't been her that she'd been afraid from. She knows that she wasn't alone. There had been somebody else there with her. Someone whom she lo-

Adrien!

In a flash everything comes back to her. She gasps suddenly. Stupid boy. Brave boy… It had been his attempts at heroics which had seen the car crash in the first place. He'd had nothing but the noblest of intentions. The move had been selfless, perhaps even well-planned but poorly timed. The impact itself remains impossible for her to recall. She reasons that she must have hit her head. Perhaps it has permanently been erased from her brain.

It doesn't really matter. She finds herself with a renewed sense of purpose. She has to find Adrien Agreste. He should be nearby, surely. The woman ignores her own suffering to the best of her ability. She'll have to sit up if she wants to get anywhere. So, gritting her teeth, she manages to push herself up off of the ground. Her right wrist is too badly injured for her to put any weight on it. Thankfully, her left is dominant. Her head spins but she fights on through the dizziness and pain in order to sit up. A few deep breaths she hopes will set her on her way. It's likely that the teen will be injured, just like she is. Therefore, it's unlikely that he'll have gotten all that far.

For whatever reason, it takes the woman a few moments to realize that there's a small crowd a few yards away. Well, less of a crowd but two of the men are there as well as a third individual. The woman's vision is too blurry without her glasses to be able to make much out. She trusts her still ringing ears instead. The men are encouraging the stranger away, trying to convince them to leave if they don't want to be caught. Unable to move herself, Nathalie, still dazed, watches them as they finally manage to coax the stranger away from _something_.

It's as the spectator passes that her gaze meets Nathalie's. Whilst the injured woman might have still been stunned and dazed, suffering from the accident but she's not completely out of it. She's conscious enough to recognize the other's blurry features: golden hair and green eyes are difficult to mistake for belonging to anyone else. They fix one another for a moment. For the former assistant, it's a painful confirmation of a terrible fear that takes hold. Were she in a better state, perhaps the woman would have glared more coldly at her enemy, made some effort to let the one responsible for all of this suffer one way or another for what she'd done.

She's tired though. Now is not the time for fighting…

Emilie looks away back towards the front of the car. Uncertain, Nathalie finds her own gaze drifting back down, towards the front of the car. It's only then that she spots the figure lying motionless a few yards away. Terror takes hold. She forgets about everything else. Only one thing truly matters, one person…

Ignoring her own pain, for the most part at least, Nathalie struggles to her feet. Her legs are wobbly, they can scarcely even bear her own weight. So she resolves to dragging her left limb, her ankle paining her too much for her to do otherwise. She doesn't have to make it far. She repeats that to herself like a mantra. At one point, she resolves to bracing herself against the car for some support. It makes things just that little bit easier. She's desperate, frantic. Internally, she prays that this is just her injuries and the blow to her head talking and convincing her that the worst has happened.

Finally, she manages to see round the front of the car. She isn't too sure if her heart stops or breaks first.

Adrien lies motionless in the dirt. There's blood on him. Before her eyes, she finds herself reliving the accident. This time she sees what before she had not. Adrien's attempt to free them, distract the driver. They hit a tree as he'd attempted to climb into the front seat… She wants to forget the look of panic on his face as he'd no doubt realized just what was going to happen. Unfortunately, that desperation remains plastered behind her eyes no matter how hard she struggles to remove the image from behind her eyelids.

The woman staggers over to the teen who lies completely motionless. For a moment, she fears the worst. She's not too sure how he's gotten out here, if he'd actually gone through the windscreen or if their captors had dragged him out after the event. Whatever the case, he's unresponsive and the damage present seems to have been more than enough to kill him. Nathalie can only stare down at the body, her mind spinning but unable to quite process what her eyes are seeing. It's like someone simply hits the off-switch.

_Get up. Please… _She wills silently. _At least open your eyes…_

The blood coming from his nose and mouth cause her to assume that he's gone. The impact would have been sudden and brutal. Cat Noir might have stood a chance but Adrien? It seems unlikely that-

She gets her sign a moment later. The teenager is breathing. Although it takes her a few moments to identify the noises he's making as being that. It's an ugly sound, almost as if he's chocking with every single gasp. He's still alive. That's all she needs to know. It serves to shake her out of her stupor. If he's alive, then he's suffering right now, if he's suffering, he needs some sort of help. Trembling from head to foot, the woman kneels down next to the teen. She doesn't dare even touch him for fear

Someone had the presence of mind to put him into the recovery position. The cuts on his body are unpleasant but not all that deep so she'd rather avoid putting pressure on them if it means protecting the rest of his body. He lies there broken, unresponsive. The external injuries don't appear to be all that severe. There's some blood but not enough to cause an excessive amount of concern. What troubles her a good deal more is what she can't see. Carefully, the one thing that she did dare do was reach down and take his pulse. His heart's still beating, that much she'd been expecting. It's irregular however and somewhat fainter than she would have liked. That's where her medical knowledge leaves her. She wishes that she knew exactly what to do, if anything. Instead, she just kneels next to him feeling decidedly useless.

It all of a sudden, there's a bright light. At first, Nathalie mistakes it for the sun coming up but when she raises her gaze, she actually finds herself faced with the car ablaze. The man responsible running to join his allies in the remaining SUV. They're already beginning to drive off. Even if she'd been in perfect health and with a miraculous to boot, the woman wouldn't have moved or made any attempt to stop them. To do so would mean abandoning Adrien and she can't/won't do that. Perhaps that's why they were so relaxed about leaving her here.

As the car drives off, the first rays of sun are just beginning to climb over the horizon. Nathalie stays with the injured young man. With her one remaining good hand, she gently runs a hand through the dirty golden hair, brushing it out of his face.

"It's alright… It's going to be alright..." She repeats to the teen.

Maybe he can hear her, maybe he's too far away right now. She won't leave. As the new day dawns, Nathalie holds onto the young man whom she's grown to love as a son, pleading with him not to leave her alone.


	39. Wreckage

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews. I might be experimenting with a few new styles/ideas in the next few chapters as I have with the previous ones. _**

**_/_**

Sitting on her bed, Nathalie's gaze is focused solely on the outside world. It's quite a nice view over some fields that she has from her bedroom. A pity that she can't make out much of it without her glasses. She's had the opportunity to watch the sun begin to slowly set. Now, the sky is a beautiful golden color. She wishes that she could appreciate it more but her mind is inevitably elsewhere. She wouldn't be surprised if she had been assigned this room intentionally so as to keep her a least somewhat distracted, to give her something else to think about whilst she waits. A noble sentiment but a naive one.

As if anything could take her mind off of what's happened.

She can still hear the desperate gasps of the teenager. His throat and chest damaged to a degree where even the simply act of breathing was a challenge. Her hands or at least the one which isn't currently in a cast, still tremble from the shock as she's struggled with the urge to hold onto him, to try and apply some pressure to some of the wounds. If she closes her eyes, the woman finds herself reliving the sensation of the warm sticky blood against her fingers and the sense of terror and dread as Adrien Agreste had slipped further and further away.

There was no words to describe the loneliness that Nathalie felt in that little room. No doubt they had had her best interests at heart when they had given her this nice quiet place to try and recover but right now, it feels more like she's in a prison cell than anything else. This isolation is proving to be unbearable. Almost as irritating as the constant fussing of the doctors and nurses had been both when they were tending to her physical wounds and then not so discreetly attempting to access her emotional state. Even now, she finds herself gritting her teeth when she thinks back to their astonishingly stupid questions.

Of course she wasn't okay. How could she possibly be anything even faintly resembling "okay"? The pain out of ten? Well with a broken wrist and sprained ankle, that hiked her up to a nice little five. Whiplash? Easily another two. A mild concussion? That brought her up to an eight. She could probably add on at least another point for all the other cuts and bruises she's sustained. Did that pain a nice enough picture for them? It was a challenge not to scream when she was asked those questions and the last time she'd seen Adrien was when he was being loaded into the back of an ambulance with the words "_pronostic vital_" ringing through her ears like a terrible symphony. A fancy and polite way of saying he was dying and they weren't convinced they could do anything for him.

The only thing that is proving to be more difficult to tolerate than all the fuss and worry is being left here alone. She has no company save for her own thoughts. They are spiraling out of control at a rate of knots. It's impossible to get Adrien out of her mind. If she, by some miracle, manages to remove the image of his mangled body from behind her eyes, then instead she finds herself presented with him smiling or laughing as he had been doing a few days ago or when he was younger, more innocent. A reminder of days gone by… Everything that both of them have lost.

Even Plagg is managing to hurt her purely through his absence. She honestly doesn't know what's happened to the kwami. For all she knows he could have been killed in the crash or when the car was ignited. All that the woman can say for certain is that he isn't here with her now and the unthinkable has happened: she's actually missing the strange and irritating little creature. Something that she would never before have thought possible and certainly not a statement that she would ever willingly make aloud… Right now though, lying in bed, she would gladly sacrifice all of this warmth and comfort for the stench of some rather mature French cheese.

The door opens. The pain in her neck is such that she's reluctant to actually turn her head to greet whoever is coming in to see her. The woman assumes that it's just going to be a nurse or a doctor coming for a checkup or to top up her painkillers. Instead, when they finally do step into her field of vision, Nathalie finds herself faced with a man and a woman in uniform: the police, no technically the army (these officers in blue are_ gendarmes_) have arrived:

"Mademoiselle Sancoeur?" They ask as if they don't already know.

"Yes." She responds quietly, her throat somewhat sore.

"Do you mind if we ask you a few questions? It's quite important."

"No… Go ahead."

It was inevitable that the police would get involved given the circumstances. Nathalie prepares herself as best as she can. Her current state, both physical and emotional, doesn't exactly lend itself to interrogation. They don't have much of a choice though and she respects authority enough not to begrudge the officers. These two are just doing their duty after all and as far as they're aware, there's a group of kidnappers out there who need to be brought to justice.

They start off gently enough. Just confirming a few very minor details, things that they no doubt already know. Perhaps, she reasons, they want to check just how plugged in she currently is. A woman suffering from a concussion is perhaps not the best person to try discussing important matters with. They might be worried that she's confused or suffering from amnesia. In many ways, Nathalie actively wishes that she was. Instead, she finds herself only too aware of what's going on and what has happened, making short work of answering their questions. Her only difficulty is the physical act of talking which in itself is painful given the swollen jaw that she now has, a direct result of one of the thugs' attempts at convincing Adrien to come out from hiding the night before.

Stupid boy… Brave boy...

"It was a vacation…" She answers, when the question of just what the two of them had been doing in Provence in the first place is brought up. "I come from down south, sometimes, when I go to visit my grandmother, he comes down with me, just to get away from the city."

"Are you close?" The man's question carries a slightly gentler tone to it.

"I… Yes." Nathalie sees no point in lying. "I've been caring for him for some years now."

Caring. Loving. The words are similar but not quite the same. It strikes her in that particular moment, that despite Marinette's encouragements, she's never to this day told him that she loves him. It's always gone unsaid… That realization hits Nathalie like a knife to the heart.

She fights on through the pain and helps the officers as best as she can. She tells them about what had happened when they had been abducted, how they had been dragged out, Adrien had been hit with a taser and drugged. The stop at the warehouse. All memories which she would frankly not have. Then there's other matters such as asking for descriptions of the perpetrators. They want to know if they're the ones who roughed up her face, just how they can attribute that to a punch as opposed to a car accident Nathalie doesn't know but ultimately, it doesn't matter. Let them go down for aggravated assault as well… If they can catch them. They were professionals. No doubt they will have disappeared by now.

"What about the woman? Can you describe her?"

"I only saw her from afar, it was dark..." Nathalie responds quietly thinking back to the events. "With my eyesight… She was thin, blonde. She didn't exactly hang around for long."

"Did she say anything?" The man asks whilst his companion takes some quick notes.

"Not that I heard." Nathalie casts her mind back to the best of her ability. "I was pulling myself together when I saw her, she was next to Adrien."

"Was she the one who put him into the recovery position?"

"I don't know." Again, it's an honest answer. "I don't think that she hurt him, no more than he was already, that is."

"Did he have any valuables on him?"

"Not much, he was in his pajamas. He will have had a ring and an old analog watch."

Curiously, that leads to some discussion between the two of them. Nathalie strains her ears to try and make out what they could possibly be saying to one another. She can definitely remember him having both on him. For whatever reason the thugs hadn't bothered to remove his miraculous, presumably not realizing just what it was and her grandfather's old watch was something which the teen only ever took off for his shower nowadays. Neither at face value were worth a lot of money. Only one of them contained a secret.

"He had a watch. No ring. Was it valuable?"

"No..." Nathalie shakes her head slowly, a terrible sinking feeling settling into the pit of her stomach. "It was just steel."

No doubt all of the implications of a stolen miraculous will come back to haunt her. For the time being however, the woman appears to be strangely unbothered by it. It's hard for her to get worked up about anything right now. Some might have blamed it on the pain or the medication which seem to make everything just that bit duller. Both eat away at the woman as she sits there. With every passing moment, she just wants to be left alone again. The irony is that she knows full-well that once they do depart, she'll wish that they were back with her, providing her with some form of distraction.

"Do you know who called the ambulance?" It's the man's turn to ask that particular question.

"It wasn't me and anyone who saw us would have stopped. So it must have been one of them."

"Do you know why they would have done that?"

"Probably to try and save Adrien's life, maybe even mine. I don't think they actually set out to kill us."

They continue their interrogation for some time more. There's a lot to be asked. They're curious as to just how the accident had happened. Nathalie can only tell them so much. Adrien had been heroic but it had backfired. She doesn't want to thick back to it.

The woman isn't entirely sure if her memory is playing tricks on her, imagining what she hadn't actually witnessed but now instead of just the screeching of brakes followed by a sudden impact and darkness, she sees Adrien go flying. She hears the cracks as his bones break and snap and the terrible sound of the windshield crumbling and shattering as he went flying into the glass. There's blood on the front of the car and the ground. Now, in the back of her mind, she can even hear a scream. She doubts he would have been capable of such a feat. Everything had happened so quickly… No. It's just her own guilt and the shock of what's happening contorting everything, making things just that little bit more horrific.

"We've informed his parents." The officers tell her eventually. "They were pretty shocked."

"I'm sure..." Nathalie mutters under her breath.

"Do you have any family members you want to contact?"

"Yes…" She makes the effort to sit up a little bit more. "I have my grandmother and my boyfriend down south, I imagine they're worrying."

After a few minutes, she's given a phone and allowed to call them. It's her grandmother who answers. Nathalie needs a full ten minutes to calm her down. Eventually, she explains plainly and flatly that she's alright, gives them the address of the hospital. There will be no stopping them.

The police leave her eventually and she's back to punctual visits from the nurses. She lies on her back, her injured hand rests on her stomach. That is painful too. She'd been punched there. There's nothing broken, despite what it might feel like. It's just bruised. The woman wants nothing. Nothing other than for Adrien to be back with her. He isn't though… She knows that he's not about to walk through that door, no matter how much she might long for him to do so. Exhausted and still suffering, Nathalie closes her eyes, desperately searching for some form of rest.

She enters a dreamless sleep. It's more than she could have hoped for…

Some hours have passed by the time she manages to creak her eyes open. The pain is slightly better although for all that knows it could be because the painkillers are kicking in again. With time having so little meaning at the moment, it's hard for the woman to assess when she's being topped up and/or due for a new one. Tired eyes mindlessly search the room. Only this time do they discover that something is very much different. She is no longer alone and whilst her vision remains blurry despite the absence of her glasses, she knows their forms well enough to be able to identify them instantly.

A weak moan escapes her lips the first time that she tries to address them. It sounds pathetic even to her own ears. Angered, she makes more of an effort. It serves to wake her up completely:

"You made it..."

"Yeah… We've been here for a while." Jacques tells her. "The staff filled us in."

Nathalie isn't given much of a chance to discuss matters with her boyfriend. Instead, she finds herself struggling to calm her grandmother. The woman is frantic, desperate to know that she's alright. So she lies a little: says that she is, even if the pain is still there. It takes quite some time for her relative to calm down. Once she has though, something of a still atmosphere takes over.

For the first time in more years than she cares to count, Nathalie allows the old woman to brush her hair. She does so whilst taking the greatest of precautions to avoid tugging at the roots or the woman's otherwise stiff and sore neck. There's something soothing about the action which she doesn't care to question. Jacques, uncharacteristically, doesn't say so much as a word. A few times, their looks meet. Both are thinking the same thing, not trying to fool the other into a sense of false comfort.

"I brought you a few things..." He informs her after a while.

"Thank you..." Nathalie manages.

Toothbrush, hair comb… It's all stuff that she's going to need given that it now seems likely she's going to be cooped up here for a few days at least. Her injuries aren't all that severe in themselves but the doctors want to be sure… Jacques places them on the table next to her bed. She could have laughed if it weren't for the current situation, among the things he'd managed to pick up are her glasses. She slips them on, grateful for being able to see once more. He places a box which she can only pray he hasn't opened down and then, far more hesitantly a picture.

She fixes the features of a younger teen as he laughs and playfully poses with her for a photograph. _Man…_ His voice calling her echoes through her ears. All he'd ever wanted was to be loved. When his father had failed him and his mother had been unable to fulfill her role, he'd fallen back on her. To think that initially it had irritated her… Now, all she wants is to be by his side… She looks back to Jacques, the man is sheepish, evidently unsure if he's just hurt her with the reminder of all that's been lost. She can only manage a little nod (which she promptly regrets with her whiplash) but she hopes it's enough for him to realize how grateful she is.

She loses herself in the image for a while. There is a terrible shadow hanging heavily over their heads. It' one which they don't dare to speak out about. It doesn't need to be said, all of them are just as aware.

It's almost five o'clock by the time a nurse accompanied by a young doctor come in. She seems a little bit timid, uncertain. Her eyes travel over the group. She asks if everything's alright. If Nathalie needs any more painkillers. If she's suffering from any new symptoms they should no about. The woman politely refuses the offers and denies that she's doing anything but recover. She already knows what's coming. There's a reason that they seem to be a little bit cautious right now. Finally, the doctor asks the small group but the injured individual more particularly:

"Do you want to go see him?"

_Yes…_ Nathalie knows that she has to. She owes him that much.


	40. Burnt bridges

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews._**

**_/_**

When your boyfriend's parents call, most teenagers would be confused, perhaps a little bit concerned. In that respect, Marinette fancies that she's rather normal. Her concerns are doubled however when the text is somewhat cryptic coming from a woman who she hasn't heard from in a few months.

She ums and ahs about texting her boyfriend about the matter. On one hand, it's his parents, he needs to know what's going on with them and with any luck he might be better informed than she is. On the other, she's aware that it's a touchy subject. The last thing that the young woman wants is to trigger yet another depressive episode or an angry outburst. Not when he's seemingly been recovering… Eventually, with some council from Tikki. She sends him a text. He answers honestly that he doesn't know but that she should keep her guard up. Ultimately, the choice is hers.

Hardly helpful in this particular situation.

It takes her half an hour to decide one way or another. She will go but she is most certainly isn't going unprepared. She makes a mental checklist of things that she most certainly will and won't do. First of which is to tell her parents exactly where she's going, claiming she's going to show them some of her latest designs. She also informs the Agrestes that she's done that much. Why? She reasons it will force them to keep things clean. If her parents know where she is, then they might be less inclined to have her "disappear". Secondly, she informs Master Fu, Adrien and Nathalie. The latter are hundreds of kilometers away but have a single miraculous which makes the distance almost irrelevant. They can help her if she calls. Adrien answers. Nathalie doesn't. Curious but she knows the reception isn't all that great out in the countryside so dismisses it as likely being nothing to worry about.

She leaves for the mansion; unnerved and exceedingly cautious. Right now, it feels like it would be impossible to be unprepared. She even has a couple of macaroons stashed in her purse should she have to use her miraculous and find that Tikki needs to recuperate her strength. If she's doing this, then she's going to be battle ready.

She's let in easily enough. They must be waiting for her as she doesn't even have to buzz before she's allowed in. The door just clicks. There's no voice inviting her inside or even instructions. Instead, as she steps into the courtyard, she sees Gabriel. He is standing in the entrance, the door is open. He seems… Out of sorts. He's pale, even by his standards. Uneasy, Marinette wanders just a little bit closer. He doesn't call out or tell her to get a move on, he just watches her in silence. There are bags under his eyes, he looked exhausted in every sense of the term. Now, to fear, she adds a growing sense of dread.

The young woman stops a few feet short. She eyes him cautiously, reluctant to take any more steps before she knows precisely what's going on. The cold look that she gives him lets him know that she's not up for dancing around issues. She folds her hands across her chest, eyes narrowed as she considers the man.

"What is going on Gabriel?" She isn't afraid of him any longer.

"Could we please, continue this discussion inside, in private-"

"You must think I was born yesterday." She scoffs coldly. "No, you're going to tell me right-"

"It's about Adrien..."

Of course it is. She knows that the Agrestes don't particularly care for her. The only reason that she's of any interest is because she loves Adrien and more importantly, Adrien loves her. She doesn't know exactly what his current stance is with regards to his parents but right now, he doesn't seem to be all that eager to meet them again. Perhaps they've ran out of patience and are trying to get to him through her, again…

Reluctantly, Marinette lets out a sigh. She climbs the stairs glancing carefully around Gabriel Agreste to ensure that there isn't anyone waiting behind him to ambush her. She steps through the door, taking care to remain at a safe distance from the man should he suddenly make a lunge for her and more particularly her earrings. He doesn't though, allowing her to pass rather sedately. Every single part of this is rubbing the teen the wrong way. It makes her feel decidedly uneasy. She's self-conscious, jumpy. A few shadows cause her to tense up, assuming the worse. She most certainly isn't thrilled to have her boyfriend's father following her. He steps out in front, gesturing towards the lounge.

"Will you be wanting a drink?"

"So you can slip me something again?" She reminds him cuttingly. "I don't think so."

"I'm not going to harm you..."

The man almost whispers his words, he seems to be exhausted. Something is very wrong. Marinette might have questioned him had he not suddenly walked away. It's enough to get her even more on edge. She glances towards Tikki. The kwami says nothing. A single look between the two of them is enough to confirm that they're both on the same wavelength.

Taking a breath, she steps into the room.

Inside, she finds Emilie. The woman is standing by the fireplace, her gaze focused on the portrait of her family which hangs above it. She pays the teen who she had invited round no attention. In fact, it's not immediately apparent if she's even aware that she had a visitor. Confused and shaken, Marinette simply stares uneasy. She doesn't know what to do. A part of her wants to disturb the woman, to let her know that she has better things to do with her time than going along with whatever scheme this is. On the other hand, she's unnerved enough to be unwilling to risk provoking something which right now, she plainly doesn't understand.

Time trickles by. The tension, as palpable as it is mysterious, only mounts. It irritates Marinette. She finds herself looking around for some sort of explanation as to just what exactly is going on at the moment. Finally, she snaps:

"What's going on?!"

"Marinette..."

It's as if her voice has suddenly drawn Mrs. Agreste out of whatever world she'd drifted off to. When she turns around, the look that she gives the teen is one of rediscovery. Had she even been aware that someone else had entered the room? She too is pale. Her eyes are somewhat red, leading Marinette to assume that either she's suffered from an allergic reaction to something or that she's been crying. Either are feasible although right now, it seems that one is somewhat more likely than the other.

"What's all this about?" The teen, increasingly concerned, repeats her question.

"There's been an accident."

Those few words cause Marinette's world to begin spinning. A million nightmare scenarios make their way into her head. She dismisses them instinctively. It's the only way for her not to give into panic. Her heart is thundering, she silences it to the best of her ability. The teen doesn't attempt to conceal the deep breath that she takes in order to ensure that she remains calm. In fact, better that Emilie understands that this isn't a matter where it would be wise to risk pushing her too far. If it's some sort of a trick, then it's not one that she's going to fall for.

In fact, convincing herself that this is a con, she allows herself to get angry. Her resentment rises up inside of her. It prevents her from listening to anything else that the woman might have to say:

"You honestly think you can fool me with something like that?! I was on the phone to Adrien just a few minutes ago-"

Her argument is cut short when the woman points towards a nearby coffee table. Marinette's eyes skim over the surface initially. It's only when she looks a second time that she spots the two smartphones. She recognizes one of them easily enough for having seen it enough, the other she can only assume belongs to Nathalie Sancoeur. Her terror is doubled in a heartbeat. She finds herself to be shaking somewhat. Tikki drifts just a little bit closer, trying to calm her.

She stares at the woman. Emilie can't even bring herself to look her in the eye. There's too much shame there. Marinette shakes her head, trying to collect her increasingly scattered and panicked thoughts. That's definitely Adrien's phone. She could dial his number just to make sure but she can't face the confirmation. It's not her boyfriend she's been talking to for the past few… Hours? Days? She doesn't think about that, there is another, far more pressing question which needs to be asked, it's one that she both dreads the answer to and can't face spending another second without knowing:

"Where is Adrien?!" Marinette is growing increasingly desperate now.

The woman doesn't immediately respond. Instead, she tenses up. Instead, she reaches into her pocket and pulls something out. Its a handkerchief. A handkerchief covered with red stains, blood. Tikki tells her to look away. She'll see what it is first and let her know if it's something that she wants to see. She won't want to see it whatever it is but there are many terrible horrific which could be contained within. The blood alone proves that something terrible must have happened. For whatever reason, she can bring herself to look away however. Even as the small item becomes visible to her.

"Adrien's dead."

For Marinette, it's as if her heart stops. She doesn't look at Emilie. It's what now lies just on the marble of the fireplace which has captured all of her attention. It's a single piece of jewelry, the likes of which would likely have been overlooked in a thrift store. That was the intention of course, to make it as unremarkable as possible. She knows just exactly what it is, who it belonged to, she's seen it enough. Any lingering doubts that she might have had are slowly but surely being swept away, no matter how frantically she tries to cling to them.

At this point, it's less if a question of whether or not she's needs to be convinced so much as the teen desperately clutching at straws. She does her best to think of ways that this could be some sort of a trick. That might not actually be the cat miraculous. Gabriel has the resources to do something like that and she's almost 100% certain that ad far as morals go, it wouldn't be too far for either of them to stoop. She grits her teeth, shakes her head, refuses to give in to fear. In short, she convinces herself that none of this is real. She will fight them. There is a line in the sand which shouldn't ever have been crossed.

"You liar!" She spits out, shaking her head vehemently. "There's no way that-"

"I can understand why you would,'t believe me..." She mutters softly, taking the ring. "Plagg… Tell her."

Any notion that it was a fake miraculous as dismissed within the space of a few seconds. In a flash, the little being materialized as the woman slips the ring onto her finger. The creature doesn't move initially as she would have expected a kwami to. Instead, he just overs there. His head hanging low. He seems to be despondent. At least for the first few moments. It's clear that he would rather be anywhere else than where he is right now. Marinette isn't even entirely convinced that he knows exactly where he is. His presence unsettles the teen, shakes the convictions which she'd managed to gather only a few instants ago.

After a few moments however, his eyes lock onto her. He seems startled. The shock is quickly replaced by something else. Regret and sorrow take hold. He averts his gaze, unable to look her in the eye. His silence lasts a while, too long. Marinette finds that she's back to physically shaking.

"Plagg..." She pleas frantically with the creature, desperate to hear that this is all lies.

"I-I don't know if he's dead." The kwami replies eventually, his voice unusually quiet. "He broke his throat. He couldn't breathe. I-I tried to help him."

Marinette doesn't question just how exactly it was that Adrien had died. She doesn't need to know the sordid details. Nor does she initially ponder for too long about just how he had met his end. She takes Plagg's word for it and struggles desperately not to picture such a sight in her mind. Her eyes fall back upon the bloodstained handkerchief. It must be his… She reasons. Her legs are shaking so badly that she finds herself forced to brace herself against the wall behind her for fear of falling over.

Adrien is dead… Her head is spinning.

She's torn between wanting to run and this rising anger inside of her. She turns towards Emilie who refuses stubbornly to look her way. An accident… Those words each through her head again and again. No, Adrien had been fine. He had been safe. He'd been happy. She has the photos and the postcards to prove it. Something, someone must have disturbed him, taken him away from that place. Now, his ring is here. She doesn't think logically or even look for alternatives such as if Adrien is dead, then his parents would almost certainly have been called to his side by the authorities. They would have taken his belongings… No, instead, she sees red.

"You killed him!" Marninette screams at the woman. "You murdered your own son!"

"It was an accident! The car hit a tree! He- He'd taken his seat belt off!"

Could something like a car accident really have claimed the life of Adrien Agreste? In her mind, Marinette had always envisioned the young man as being far more robust than that. He is- was – Chat Noir after all. The two of them together, they were unstoppable. If either of them were to die, she'd always told herself that it would be from one of their rather more heroic outings. That they would go down saving the city that they loved. Either that or they would pass away together when both had lived out their natural lifespans, an old couple who'd lived through their share of adventures.

This just felt… Wrong. On so many levels.

Unable to take it any longer, the girl falls to her knees. She plasters her hand over her mouth in an attempt to muffle the sounds of her sobs which sleep past her defenses despite her best attempts to conceal them. Her pride demands that she hold off of such an open display of grief in front of individuals who are anything but her friends. It takes over despite her best efforts, leaves her crying loudly. Tears stream down her cheeks which she can't prevent from falling or conceal.

Emilie leaves the teenager be. She seems to understand that crowding her right now would be a mistake and gives her plenty of room. Tikki alone attempts to comfort the girl. The kwami doesn't speak. She just hovers near her partner sympathetically. There's a clear amount of sorrow behind the creature's eyes as she fixes the teen. Perhaps later will be the time for some wise and hopefully comforting words, for the time being however, it's grieving which takes priority. The pain of the loss weighs heavily upon the girl, it's impossible for her to wrap her head around what's happened, what's been lost…

After a while however something, Marinette can't say what, causes her to look up. Emile has drifted a little closer to her now. There are some tears on the woman's cheeks as well. When she speaks, it's in a shaky voice:

"We can save him… If we work together."

After all, they have both miraculouses.


	41. Damage report

**_Author's note: Thanks once more for all of the reviews!_**

**_/_**

Nathalie consents to getting into the wheelchair purely because she knows that it will mean her getting to where she needs to be sooner than if she remains prideful and determined to do things by herself. At least, she's able to pick herself up and sit down by herself. Her legs wobble, she's weaker than she had thought she would be. She bears it however, there's enough on her mind to mean that her own physical condition seems to be rather unimportant to her right now.

All she wants, needs, is to see Adrien. For the past few hours, she's been left only with the knowledge of what had happened to him and that a team of doctors and surgeons had fought through the night to save his life… They lead her to a different part of the hospital. It's quieter here. No bad thing… Nathalie's not sure that she'd appreciate a lot of fuss. There are markedly more nurses and doctors however doing their rounds. This is quite a relatively small establishment. There aren't all that many people here.

In a way it comes as something of a relief. The slightly calmer atmosphere makes it easier to think. On the other hand… Thinking isn't necessarily something that Nathalie wants to do. She's already had ample opportunity to think. She's been essentially trapped here for hours, fully aware of what's happened. She's smart, seen a lot of the world and not an idiot. Nor is she the sort of person who tends to cling to hope pointlessly. No… As they enter into the little room, the woman knows full-well that she's going to be confronted with a terrible picture. She can brace herself all that she wants, the woman is aware that it will never be enough.

She hears the sound of the machines before anything else. As the door is opened, the woman is greeted by loud, monotonous beeps. She recognizes them instantly. Nathalie steels herself.

Adrien Agreste is barely visible for all of the machines around him. Some the woman is able to recognize as being monitors keeping track of his vitals, others evidently play a far more active role in keeping the young man alive. She couldn't say what most of them do. The pipe which enters through his throat, she can only assume is providing him with oxygen. Even now, she can hear the frantic gasps he'd been making as he had lay by the roadside, dying. At least she knows that his body is getting some of the air that it needs now, albeit artificially. She can't even begin to fathom what most of the others do. There are so many tubes and wires coming from and attached to his bare chest that it felt almost as if he was equal part man and machine. In some ways, she thought to herself, he very much is.

By some miracle, most of the teen's handsome features remain more or less unaltered, with the exception of an ugly cut under his eye which will no doubt heal up soon enough. In some ways, it makes things almost worse. She can look at his face and mistake him for merely sleeping. Forget about everything else which has happened and that if she were to look down she would see that the rest of his body was bandaged, bruised and plugged into all manner of machines in the hopes of both keeping him alive and being able to repair some of the damage that has been done.

Nathalie can only fix him painfully. It takes some time for all of this to register. There's a part of her which refuses to believe what she's seeing. It tries to convince her that this is all a dream, well, a nightmare actually. If it is, then all she needs to do is wake up and she'll find herself back in the _Cabanon_. Adrien will still be sleeping quietly in the guest bedroom. Macaroon will be by the side of his bed and Plagg curled up on the pillow just next to him. She'll go and check on them and then be able to breathe once more when she's confirmed that he's safe and sound. The pain that she feels right now however is enough to remind her that no matter how much she might wish for it not to be so, he is hurt.

The woman eventually musters the presence of mind to turn towards one of the doctors. She asks in something of a raspy voice:

"What's wrong with him?"

"Pericardial Tamponade, flail chest..."

Broken hip, fractured trachea… It's a long and torturous catalog. Nathalie stops listening after a while. She knows that it's a lot of complicated words to mean he's shattered his body, perhaps beyond repair. The ribs don't come as much of a surprise, she knows that they had been made more fragile following the incident at the Grand Palais which had fractured them once before. The throat was unfortunately predictable given how poorly he'd been breathing following the accident and the lengths that they've gone to in the hospital should have pointed her towards something more serious. She closes her eyes, wondering if there's any chance of helping him or if she should now consider their former lives to be nothing more than a fond memory.

There's a difference between not dying and being able to continue on living as you did before.

He must be in quite some pain. Her eyes travel towards the drips feeding various fluids into the young man. Some of them are painkillers. Perhaps others are sedatives. She'd been warned that he was going to be under for quite some time, unaware of what's going on around him. Right now, she has no doubt that's what's better for him. Let him sleep through the worst of it… Although Nathalie can't help but wonder just how long she's going to be out for.

"What now?"

"For the next few days, maybe even weeks, he needs some rest." The doctor speaks in a soft voice. "In many ways, he's quite lucky. He managed to dodge any serious brain damage or spinal injuries but he's still going to be off of his feet for a while."

So it isn't over yet… Nathalie can't help but wince internally.

"Lucky" isn't a word that she would have used to describe the current situation. Perhaps this doctor has seen far worse injuries, she's willing to bet that he has or maybe he's just not all that good at communicating… What he means is that whilst his body is damaged, it's not going to leave him completely crippled or at least that's what she assumes he's implying. At this point in the game, Nathalie fears that she is growing increasingly cynical and pessimistic, even where Adrien is concerned.

She's no medical expert but she knows that to put right what's wrong with him is going to require an extensive stay at a hospital and months, possibly even years of physiotherapy. All of that for a miscalculation. All of the best intentions of a young and noble man had been ruined by a simple bit of bad luck, a lack of attention and a tree. No… There were others to be blamed for what had happened. For the time being however, the woman only has eyes for Adrien. Despite what she knows, she still finds herself – perhaps somewhat selfishly – wanting him to open his eyes. Just for a second, just to greet her with some form of confirmation that he's still alive and that this artificial slumber won't be the end of him. She wants to reach out and touch him, brush some of that stray hair away from his face but she doesn't dare. He seems so fragile right now. It's as if a single gust of wind might be enough to cause him to turn him to dust.

"You can take his hand if you want." One of the nurses offers quietly, somehow seemingly realizing what the woman was thinking.

It occurs to Nathalie that they must have seen this a thousand times before. It must be part of something of a macabre routine for them.

Slowly and tentatively, she reaches out. Its her fingers which brush gently against the back of his hand which doesn't have a drip pouring fluids into it. His skin feels cool and she gets no response. In truth, she hadn't been expecting one. Seeing no indications that her action has caused him any pain, the woman goes one step further and treating it as if it might very well be made of glass, she takes it. Nathalie doesn't dare apply much pressure. Granted, none of his bones are broken but all the same, seeing him in such a weak and vulnerable state has left her shaken. She doesn't want to take any chances with the young man. She hopes that he knows that she's here, by his side. That he's going to be okay and that she'll be here for him when he wakes up.

However long it takes…

She spends a while there. The doctors leave. They have other places to be, numerous other patients who require tending to. Right now, with Adrien, it's a waiting game. She's warned that it's more likely to be a matter of days than it is hours and therefore not to be concerned if they find that he isn't showing any immediate signs of waking up or being aware of their presence. There are nurses nearby if required and they will be giving him regular checkups at any rate. In short, they will have to be patient. It's not a process which can or should be rushed. He'll open his eyes when he's ready.

That leaves Nathalie with Adrien, keeping silent vigil. The world could have been ending outside and still, she feels as if she wouldn't have moved from that spot. There's the constant sound of the machines, especially the ventilator and heart monitor which are a painful reminder of what's happened. Under other circumstances, the woman reasons that she would likely have found them to be unbearable. Right now however she takes them as proof that the young man is still alive. His heart is still beating and oxygen is entering his body… He's still with her.

Her mind wanders… She thinks back to when she'd been sitting by the side of the road, wanting nothing more than to take him in her arms in order to comfort him but unable to do even that for fear of worsening his state and inadvertently injuring him further. In its own way, that had been torturous. Sitting there, she hadn't known that anyone had called for an ambulance. In fact, she'd been rather certain that they hadn't. As such, she'd assumed that they would be left alone. On such a small rural road, it could easily have been a few hours until someone passed them and Adrien was so terribly hurt. In short, she had believed that he was going to die and that she was going to struggle to do so little as even comforting him.

All of this because of one woman. Perhaps her husband was to blame, Nathalie couldn't have said… As she sat there however with a young man who had spent the past few years paying one way or another for the sins of his parents, there was a growing sense of injustice and anger in the pit of her stomach.

"Nathalie..." It's her grandmother who speaks to her. "They gave this back."

She turns towards her grandparent as the woman holds something out to her. It takes her only a few seconds to recognize the old watch. It's broken now. As broken as the young man who had last worn it. Carefully, she takes the object in her hands. There's a large crack running along the glass which has splintered in pieces and is now more of a health hazard than anything else. She lets out a heavy sigh. It's of no use now, too damaged to possibly still serve its purpose. Still, she finds herself bringing it to her ear. No! It's still ticking…

The woman lets out a sigh. Slowly, her hand slips away from Adrien. Mindlessly, she finds herself putting the watch on. She's never worn it before. It neither suits her nor does it fit. Still, in some strange way, it gives her just a little bit of comfort; a connection to the men who had worn it previously. It reminds her of what needs to be done.

She gets to her feet despite a few protests. Her ankle is still sore but she can work. She excuses herself, claiming that she needs some time. They don't stop her as she had feared they might. Instead, she's allowed to go. Evidently, they must assume that she's going to go and cry somewhere in quiet. She wouldn't do that, although it is quite tempting. In truth, abandoning Adrien, even for what she hopes will be only a few minutes, is something which pains her deeply. It has to be done however.

It proves to be rather easy for the woman to make her way back to her room. She regrets leaving the small box there but there was no way for her to bring it with her without arousing suspicion and she most definitely dared not open it whilst others were around. She can only hope that nobody has touched it since. The woman tiptoes into her room. Thankfully, her belongings which Jacques had brought her are still in place. She lets out an uneasy sigh as she approaches the table next to her bed. Her body is sluggish and the aches and pains she's subject to right now are too many to count. Nathalie soldiers on though.

She picks up the little box and looks around. There are no cameras in here. She's alone… Cautiously, the woman opens the lid.

There's a bright flash of light which causes her to look away momentarily. A second later and she has some company. The strange creature before her looks like a miniature horse, hardly surprising given that she's the kwami of the horse miraculous. The jewel had been give Adrien for use in emergencies only. Master Fu wouldn't appreciate her – a former supervillain – having her hands on it but right now, they don't have much of a choice. She wished that she could have given the young man the glasses… She would have traded places with him in a heartbeat. She might yet depending on how things go.

"What's going on Miss?" The creature, evidently a bit confused asks her after a few moments.

"Your name's Kaalki, isn't it?" She gets a nod in response. "I need your help. Something… Something terrible's happened. You can teleport, right?"

"All you need to say is "_Kaalki, full gallop_!"." The Kwami explained to her before adding somewhat more hesitantly. "But… Where are we going?"

"Paris… This has gone on for too long..."


	42. Ultimatums

**_Author's note: Really sorry for the delay! Not too sure why this took so long. Thanks again for the reviews._**

**_/_**

There's a flash of light which engulfs Gabriel Agreste's office. The man spins around on his heels, startled. When he sees the figure standing before him however, everything else seems to make perfect sense.

Nathalie takes long strides towards the man. She feels a little strange. _Off_. No doubt it's because she's tried transforming whilst injured. The miraculous is capable of masking her pain, alleviating some of it. Still it registers that something isn't quite right. Maybe it's a self-preservation instinct of sorts designed to ensure that she doesn't push herself too far, forgetting that once the magic wears off, she's still going to have to cope with a damaged body. Right now, that simple fact barely even registers with the woman.

It's the figure of Adrien Agreste which remains plastered behind her eyelids. No matter how much she might try not to see him suffer, it's an image which she can't shake from her mind. In a way, maybe that's best. It drives her. Gives her something to focus on, grounds her and makes it easier to direct her anger and she is angry. Formidably so. Unlike some, Nathalie isn't the type to start screaming or hurling foul language around. Instead, her rage burns away silently. It has a target however. Two in fact. She's methodical and plans to deal with each of them one at at time. She doesn't know where Emilie is but it's not a major concern.

Not when Gabriel's in front of her.

Curiously, the man makes no attempt to stop her. He lets the woman approach him, despite her powers and enhanced strength granted by the miraculous. On any other day, she might have found that suspicious, she would have been more careful. Right now though, she feels so tired, so angry… She doesn't care if Emilie is waiting in ambush somewhere. There is something which needs to be done.

Despite how much she wants to hurt him, she forces herself to hold back. With her current strength, she could potentially injure the man severely or worse, if she put her mind to it. Angry though she might be, she knows that crippling Adrien's father won't change what's happened. She doesn't let him get away scot-free. That would be too easy… Instead, being careful to control her strength. Nathalie slaps him across the face. It's petty really. The only thing that she succeeds in doing is inflicting some pain on the man and maybe making herself feel a bit better as a result. She likes to tell herself that the teen would have appreciated such a gesture…

"Are you happy now?" The woman growls lowly under her breath, clenched teeth fail to conceal her pain.

Gabriel rubs his cheek gingerly. It's clear that she's hurt him. Nathalie feels no remorse however. In comparison to the suffering that this man has caused both physical and emotional, it's a pinprick but perhaps not something he's used to.

Nathalie fixes him for a moment, silently daring him to react. Her question isn't one which she's particularly expecting an answer for. She knows that whatever they had planned, the car accident and Adrien's subsequent injury weren't a part of it. She doesn't need to be informed of the exact detail of their scheme to see that something, somewhere must have gone terribly wrong. They'd underestimated their son, both his courage and his fear. That had come painfully close to getting the lad killed. They're lucky the teen's still alive. Medicine might just allow him to pull through this time. The woman's here to ensure that there won't be a "next time" which will finally see the apparent luck, that's been protecting them for so long, run out.

When Gabriel fails to answer her, she doesn't insist. Taking a few deep breaths, the woman readies herself to be on her way. She heads towards the door. Emilie's out there and that's where she assumes that the cat miraculous has gotten off to. It's a shame that Kaalki doesn't allow her to teleport to anything other than a specific location which she already has in mind. It would have been useful to be able to warp directly to wherever the ring is. Still, she reasons that it likely won't be far...

"We can put things right." Gabriel tells her before she can leave, still refusing to turn back to see her. "With the miraculous, we could go back, fix him, fix everything."

That causes the woman to stop dead. There's an anger which takes hold of her, a deep resentment. It's not the first time that she's felt it either. Even back in the day, sometimes it had been there, tugging away inside of her. It was the naivety, the misconception of it all. He seemed to be able to blind himself to all of the inconvenient truths about the miraculouses, apparently that much is something which the couple have in common, as Nathalie seriously doubts that Emilie's giving it much thought either.

She clenches her teeth, spinning on her heels so as to face the man once more. This time, he affords her a brief glance. Does he really think that she's going to buy such assurances. The fact that the man seems to think this is all reparable is so absurd she can't decide whether to laugh, cry or scream.

"Don't you understand?!" The woman snaps angrily, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "It still happened! He's hurt because he was so terrified at the prospect of being dragged back here that he preferred to risk his life! If you fix him with a wish, someone else will have to pay the price! Will it be you? Emilie? Even if you did… Adrien won't forgive you. So what then? Make another wish, that's what you were planning, weren't you? 'Fix' things so that he couldn't remember hating you."

"What would you have us do? Let him stay crippled?" The man retorts, straightening himself to his full height. "No… I just wanted to take things back, fix my mistakes."

"For his sake or your own?"

He doesn't answer. Perhaps the answer is too obvious… She chooses not to pick him up on it. There's no sense driving home what he already knows. Her hands are still balled into fists, ready to deal out some punishment should the need arise. She struggles to keep her temper in check as the events of the past day catch up with her. Then there's everything that had happened prior. All those days, weeks and months trying to nurse Adrien through his troubles, oh how she regrets not telling him that it was okay to hate his parents… Convincing him to be patient and forgiving.

Now, she tries to put all of that into practice. Some of the tension dies down as a result. She tries to remind herself just who she's dealing with. Telling herself that they're deluded as opposed to purely evil but then maybe she's the one deluding herself by telling herself that.

"You know he's suffering, will suffer..." Gabriel stresses to her. "You do care for him. Don't you want to protect him from that?"

"I think you probably do love him. In some way..." Nathalie lets out a soft but pained sigh. "-but the truth is, you had your chance. I should have stopped you years ago, when this first started… My hands aren't clean either."

That will be her burden. Some of what's befallen Adrien is her fault.

Perhaps their argument would have lasted a while longer if it weren't for the raised voices coming from nearby. She recognizes both easily. It would seem that she's arrived just in time. Nathalie shoots the man a brief look, uneasy but keen to see if he's going to follow her or make any attempt to stop her. He seems to hesitate. The miraculous which she wears must give her something of an edge physically, she hopes that it's enough to dissuade the man from fighting her because she will struggle if he forces her hand. She would rather not have to resort to violence but at this point, the woman sees herself standing on the edge of a cliff with nowhere else to go.

She leaves the room, moving quickly towards the lounge nearby from where she can hear the voices. They're raised. Evidently emotions are running high. In the current situation, that honestly doesn't surprise her all that much. She wastes no time in entering seeing no need to draw out the torment for one of the parties.

The woman is greeted by an incredulous look from Marinette. Nathalie quickly spots the tears pouring down the teen's cheeks. She's been made aware of something… Just what, she doesn't know and she's too cynical to assume that both of the Agrestes will necessarily have told the entire truth. No, she's more inclined to assume that they'll have twisted things to their own advantage. There are a thousand lies which they could have told the poor girl and she's not about to waste time wondering just what they've told her. She's keen to position herself between Emilie and the miraculous holder. Blue eyes are quick to lock onto the ring around her finger. With a few words, she could easily turn this from a potentially heated situation into an extremely dangerous one.

Cataclysm is one word which could kill a person.

Nathalie opens her mouth, ready to explain everything, an unaltered tale of what had happened. She'll need to be quick and concise. Not so much as a syllable is able to make it past her lips before without any warning, Marinette rushes her. The teenager must see her as the only real source of comfort and familiarity in the room asides from her kwami or maybe she just assumed that she was dead. Whatever the case, the woman finds herself with a sobbing eighteen-year-old grabbing a hold of her and wrapping her arms around her waist and crying loudly against her.

Taken aback somewhat, the woman finds herself looking to Emilie. As always, it's almost impossible to read the woman's expression. Gabriel stays back. He's less proficient at hiding his thoughts – at least from his former assistant – she sees that he's not entirely comfortable with the current situation. Who knows, maybe it brings back some unpleasant memories…

She glares daggers at the two of them. It's a challenge, she expects one of them to present her with some form of explanation. They remain silent however. Are they aware that she intends to fight them if needed? The arrival of a second, potential ally for Ladybug is enough to turn the tide of a battle. Had she chosen to attempt to take the miraculous – something that Nathalie's convinced was their intention – even by force, the prospect of having to battle two superpowered adversaries would no doubt prove to be too much for her to even consider.

"Adrien..." The teen sobbed against her.

"Is still alive..." She feels Marinette tense up suddenly with the realization. "He was hurt badly but he's going to be okay, eventually."

"Th-They said there was a car accident."

Nathalie gives the couple an accusatory look. She can only assume that Marinette had been lead to assume that the situation was without hope. Maybe they'd thought that her desperation would prove to be enough to drive her to give them her miraculous. Thankfully, judging by the presence of a couple of earrings and her kwami, it would seem that the girl still had enough sense to say "no". Had she arrived a few minutes later then the woman was less sure about what the outcome would have been. There's no point worrying about it. She's here now.

Marinette pulls away after a few instants but Nathalie takes care to leave a hand on her shoulder. She's used to Adrien. His temper can get the better of him sometimes. She has no doubt that were the situations reversed, he would have been straining at the leash in order to get his revenge. Thankfully, his girlfriend is a little more level-headed although not necessarily any the less enraged.

"You told me he was dead!" She practically spits at them. "You let me think that he wasn't coming back."

"He's badly hurt." Emilie retorted, looking coldly towards the former assistant. "You forgot to mention that much. How many bones has he broken?"

"He's hurt badly. They've got him sleeping right now."

Nathalie's already decided that she isn't about to start trying to conceal things from the girl. She doesn't deserve it. At some point, she'll want to visit him. What a shock it will be if she expects to find her boyfriend a little battered and bruised but instead discovers that he broke his throat and took such a bashing that his ribs broke. No. That would only worsen things. Best that she be entirely straight so that there were no unfortunate surprises further on down the line. It would also, she hoped, get rid of some of the Agrestes ammunition. The fewer things they could potentially wheel out to use against them the better.

It isn't the news that Marinette wants to hear, she sees a shadow pass across the girl's face as a few glimmers of hope are chased away. Thankfully the teen manages to maintain her composure. No doubt there will be far more questions later on when things are a bit calmer. Right now, they have other matters on their mind.

"We can make him better." Emilie continues addressing Marinette first and foremost. "Make sure that he doesn't suffer."

"Someone else will!" The girl stresses taking a step closer to Nathalie. "It's an eye for an eye. If Adrien is healed, someone else has to suffer!"

"So we make a wish to go back, make sure the accident never happens."

"That's not how the world works." The blue eyed woman answers, frowning disapprovingly. "You have no idea what the consequences would be if you did that!"

"It would be better than him being crippled!"

Nathalie bites her lip to avoid commenting. Patience is key. At this point, it must be apparent that they aren't going to get the Ladybug earrings, not without a fight at any rate and with two miraculous holders against one – even if it's the cat and all of it's power of destruction – the odds are not in their favor. She can see the couple reflecting upon matters, weighing up their options and clearly wondering whether or not they might not be best making a break for it and hoping for the best.

The woman gave them just a few minutes longer to hopefully realize that the situation was without hope, at least in terms of their initial schemes. Both of them had brains, she knew that but they could also be terribly stubborn. So it was that Nathalie decided to speak. She gives Marinette a brief glance to see how she's taking things aware that she isn't going to like what she's about to hear and will likely protest quite vocally. Still, as the woman sees it, it has to be said and offered otherwise they'll have little to no reason to hand over the cat miraculous and this will – she's certain - end in a fight. So, the woman presents them with her ultimatum:

"Give the Cat miraculous back-" Nathalie begins softly, filling her lungs with oxygen before continuing. "-And if he is suffering too much, I'll make a wish to take his place. Is that okay by you?"

The looks she gets from all of those in the room, human and kwami alike are ones of incomprehension and incredulity. Still, she doesn't budge, making it abundantly clear that she's dead serious about all of this. She'd held off of speaking or informing Marinette of her plan, partly because it had been impossible for her to do so but moreover as she knows full-well that it's a controversial statement to make and one that's liable to lead, at best, to a disagreement and more likely an argument. She hopes that won't happen here, right now. If only because exhaustion is beginning to catch up with her once more.

"Nathalie…" The woman found herself turning to face Marinette. "Adrien will never let you-"

"I know he won't like it but I'm not sure that we have a choice." She responds to the teen's concerns, her resolve firm. "I'll be a last resort, if he doesn't heal properly for whatever reason..."

She knows the implications. She's still young enough to heal relatively easily but perhaps not as quickly as Adrien should but if she can spare him some of the pain and potentially take on some of the lasting side-effects and damage caused by his accident, then, if necessary she would. The wish, she reasoned, should have been less risky. After all, if she was willingly offering herself as the exchange. The universe should be able to balance itself that way. The main issue, well there's two really, is going to be to get the others to accept such a bargain.

Marinette will refuse on ethical grounds. "It isn't right..." and all that sort of thing. Adrien will be the same. The Agrestes however simply won't trust her. They'll assume that she'll go back on her word as soon as the cat miraculous is returned. She can see the distrust behind Emilie's eyes, anger and blame. Somehow, in the woman's mind, a lot of this is her fault. Maybe it is: she should have shouted at him when he'd made his move, told him to get back in his seat and put his belt back on. Anything to prevent him from getting hurt… She doesn't question things any further than that as her patience abruptly runs out in those few instants as she finds herself reliving, once more, despite her best attempts, the accident.

"Look-" Her tone is curt, cutting as she addresses the couple. "It's quite simple. Either you hand over the ring and we try to find some peaceful way through this or there's going to be a fight. It's your last chance to do the right thing. So what's it going to be?"


	43. Bedsides

**_Author's note: As always thanks for all of the reviews._**

**_/_**

The scenery passes by slowly as Marinette looks out of the window. Unlike Adrien, she's never been all that fond of it down south. It all seems to be… Dry. These rocky hills look dead. There's not much out there. Further north there are fields and cows and forests around here… Well, there's probably a reason why the population levels are so low. It's most certainly not Paris. She's spent a few weeks around there, visiting him when he's down with Nathalie's grandmother and has decided that it isn't really her scene. Her boyfriend needs the rest though and she's not all that inclined to complain when he drifts down south, it almost inevitably does him some good.

Today is different however. He's not exactly resting.

The girl's heart is heavy as she spots the last sign indicating that they're about to arrive at the hospital. Her mother's worried gaze rests upon her. It's been a long trip and an uncharacteristically silent one. She knows what she'll find inside, Nathalie has prepped her as have her parents, to a degree at least. She's been warned that she likely won't like it. Not to expect too much or too little. He'd injured badly and in pain to boot. She shouldn't be expecting much from him. It's quite probable that only a brief visit will be welcome, if that. As such, she's both desperate and dreading seeing him.

"Honey, are you going to be okay?" Her father asks her, making no attempt to mask his concern.

"Yes." She lies through her back teeth, aware that there's no other choice. "Just… I hope that he's okay."

He's not going to be. He'll be better than he was but still not the young man she'd said "goodbye" to only a few weeks ago. She has to see him though.

They make their way into the hospital in silence and ask at the desk for Adrien Agreste. They're given the room number but a man whom Marinette recognizes as Nathalie's boyfriend comes to get them, offers to lead them there. They accept. The teen isn't overly fond of hospitals. She'd spent a few days in one herself, following her release from Hawk Moth's captivity. Even now, the sight of an IV causes her to shudder as she recalls being sent to sleep for what she'd feared might easily have been eternity. So she focuses on the present, convincing herself that her friend is going to need some comfort, even if it's only for a handful of minutes.

He leads them to a door, behind which Marinette knows she'll find Adrien. That's when her courage wavers the most. Somehow, up until this point, it's all seemed somewhat unreal. She knows what she's been told. Nathalie had been too weak to give her many descriptions initially and they'd had to get her back to the hospital but later, the woman had called, let her know just what was wrong. Now though, it all feels painfully real and acute. The antiseptic smell which lingers in the air stings at her nose and eyes, it's unpleasant. She can imagine finding him there, disfigured or only just clinging to life. A million nightmares make their way through her mind. She takes a few deep breaths and holds onto what little courage she can muster. She's got to do this, for him.

They enter a moment later.

Naturally, it's the bed that she sees first and it's occupant. Adrien's sitting up more than she had been expecting. There's a fair amount of machinery though. That's the second thing that strikes her: the noises. The first, the beeping she'd rather been expecting but curiously, there's no artificial breathing. That's oddly comforting. Still, she can't help but fix him with a pained expression. She'd done a bit of research when Nathalie had mentioned the tracheotomy. She knew what she would find. Still, of all of the devices and wires that she finds herself faced with, it was the pipe sticking out of his throat which seems to be the most intrusive and disturbing.

It is hard to conceive of how he could possibly be breathing through such an apparatus. She understands the physics but still… Seeing it in the flesh proves to be the markedly different however. It takes her a few instants to realize that he's conscious. The young man turns his head to see her as she comes in. A warm smile makes its way onto his lips, a look of pure unbridled relief.

It warms her soul. In a flash, all of her doubts are gone.

She steps forwards. There's a seat next to the bed, from there looks up Nathalie. The woman's face is still bruised. Something she's been able to blame on those who took her and the accident, although the authorities are still hunting for their captors. She still wore the horse miraculous, albeit disguised. To the rest of the world, it was simply a different pair of glasses. Enough to provide them with some security however. Had she wanted to, she could have created a portal to get Adrien and the machines attached to him to safety. Thankfully, as of yet, they'd had no cause to resort to such drastic measures.

The woman gives them a weary smile. She arguably looks worse than he does: haggard and worn. It's plain that she hasn't had a decent night's sleep in quite some time. Hardly surprising given the circumstances. As Marinette approaches, she doesn't know how to greet the two of them: warmly? Make light of the situation? Express concern? Sympathy? It's all a mess inside of her mind.

Adrien stirs. His lips move, a clear attempt to speak but his words don't quite come out. Instead, he coughs or makes some other strange noise which she can't quite identify. He winces only briefly. A noble attempt but it would seem that he isn't quite up for whatever he had been attempting. A swift glance towards the young man's carer confirms that it's nothing that needs to be worried about. So Marinette draws in a little closer before finally speaking in a soft voice:

"Hey there." She gets a smile as a response. "You okay?"

The young man taps gently at his throat. She gets the message. He can't speak. There's still a lot of damage to be healed. As of yet, she can't say what is temporary and what will be more permanent. She dares to come a little a little closer, distracted momentarily by the bruises on his chest and the few tubes which seem to be leading to somewhere on the floor. It takes her a few instants to spot the movement of his hand as he tries to reach for her. In a flash, she steps next to him so that he could reach her. She can feel that his grip is quite a fair bit weaker than it usually is. So, cautiously, she takes his hand in both of hers, holding it loosely.

Her boyfriend smiles, turning so as to be able to look at her more easily. She can sense that he's weak. It's been a few days and she can scarcely imagine what he must have been like initially. It's not something that she particularly wants to picture. So she concentrates on what he's like right now and being here for him presently. Even then, she decides to do her best to block out the machines which surround them, and to concentrate only on the teen.

Quietly, her parents enter. They don't stay all that long. It's not the biggest room in the world and four people is a crowd. They express their sympathy, encourage him to get better. He smiles. It's apparent that's about all he can manage. Eventually, the Dupain-Chengs ask Nathalie if she wants a coffee? She gives the patient she's been watching over all this time. A brief glance and an almost imperceptible nod from the young man. He'll be alright without her for a little while. Others have come. She can leave him be whilst he enjoys a few moments of privacy with another that he loves. She consents.

As the woman rises, it becomes clear that she's stiff from sitting. She groans with pain, stretches in an effort to get some blood flowing once more. She gives those who offer her concerned looks a reassuring smile before heading to join them. Her limp is still present, as she drags her leg slightly before joining the other three adults and leaving the teens to their own devices.

As soon as they were gone, a small dark creature manifested itself. Plagg, for once, demonstrated little irritation with the current predicament he found himself in. Instead, he hurried over to his partner's side, taking the opportunity to nuzzle up to him. Again, Adrien smiles. Unable to speak, it becomes clear that he's relying essentially on his body language to express himself. Perhaps Nathalie had worked out a more complex way for him to get his point across but for the time being, that's all that she could rely on. With him unable to answer, at least using words, she wasn't even too sure just what she could possibly say.

"You scared me." Is what she eventually opts for. "You okay now?"

"He's fine..." Plagg assures her, to which Adrien nods. "Just needs some time to get himself back together again."

She wants to believe that. Tentatively, she reaches out and runs a hand through his hair. He doesn't display any pain, if anything he seems to lean into her, seeking the affection. She's cautious. One wrong move and she fears that she could snag a hidden tube or wire somewhere. On the other hand, she's keen to show him some of the affection she's sure he's been missing these past few days. He seems to be a fair amount calmer than she would have expected. Her attention falls upon the nearby drips. She reasons that some of those must be painkillers. They might be making him a little bit drowsy.

"The others are asking after you. They're all wishing you better." Another smile. She feels daring enough to joke. "You'd better get well soon kitty, who else am I going to hear puns from?"

"You're telling me!" Plagg declares glancing towards his friend. "It's the quietest he's ever been!"

Adrien makes an attempt to shrug, at least that's what she assumes it is. It must cause him some pain however as he winces and for a few seconds the relief fades from his features. It's hard not to think back to bubbly Cat Noir with all of his little quips, jokes and flirting. She holds his hand, waiting for the pain to pass. When he looks back to her, his distress is apparent but he tries to conceal it once more, quickly grinning in an attempt to reassure her that all is well. She's not entirely fooled, no matter how much she might want to be.

Once she's sure that he's over it. Marinette rests her head on the bed next to him, taking Nathalie's seat for a few moments. Adrien's gaze softens as he contemplates her, there by his side.

"You're going to be okay now."

It's as much of a promise as it is a plea.

They don't go far for their coffee just into the hospital lobby. The promise of sunlight however is enough to draw Nathalie outside into the open air. She hasn't realized how much she had missed it. The warmth radiates through her body which has been trapped inside with artificial lighting and air conditioning for far too long. There's some guilt that Adrien can't be out here too, he would enjoy the early morning's heat. She can only imagine the doctors' faces if he was to come out here with them…

She's forced to sit down. Her ankle still pains her if she tries to walk too far or otherwise remains standing for extended periods of time. Thankfully, there are benches outside, seemingly for that precise reason. The Dupain-Chengs, having just come out of a long drive down south and are a little keener to stretch their legs so don't join her. The silence between them is a bit awkward. In the scheme of things, they don't know her all that well. Ironically enough, they were better acquainted with Delphine Lebrun than they are with Nathalie Sancoeur. They know however that she's close to Adrien, can no doubt imagine how difficult this must be for her. If nothing else, the shock of being kidnapped and then the accident must be affecting her. So they're not too sure, where, if anywhere, to begin.

Nathalie Sancoeur is unfortunately famous for being a difficult person to approach about such matters. She's hardly famed for sharing her innermost thoughts and doubts with the world. She tends to keep her cards close to her chest and as her surname suggests, has something of a reputation for being harsh and cold. Still, Sabine eventually takes a chance and asks:

"How's it been?"

"Tuesday was rough..." Nathalie mutters taking a swig of her drink. "He was either completely under or not under enough but he is getting stronger."

"How long until he can move around again?" Tom asks tentatively.

"A while. They're going to take out the drainage tubes for his heart out tomorrow. The tracheotomy they're not too sure…" Her voice trailed off for a moment, letting some of her suffering shine through. "His hip's going to keep him off of his feet for a while."

They can't give a precise date of when he'll be able to leave, only a rough estimate. He's young and strong. His body has already proven its resilience although he has pushed it perilously close to breaking point. She has no doubt that he'll live but it's going to be a trying period for him. He'll be in a wheelchair for a while. She can't even begin to imagine just how he managed to smash his hip to such a degree and still break his throat. He must have spun… A gruesome thought which she plainly doesn't want to think about right now. He's safe. She repeats to herself. He'll get better.

She decides to distract herself by asking after Marinette instead:

"She was pretty shaken up when she heard." Sabine told her. "So were Mr. and Mrs. Agreste when they came round. Have they paid a visit yet?"

"Yes but they preferred to keep things discrete, you know. Best that the press don't start crowding him. He needs his peace and quiet."

It always feels doubly terrible to lie to good people. It's something that Nathalie has a good amount of experience in however and now, it doesn't require all that much effort. One day, maybe, they might explain everything to these people and she will be able to tell the truth. They won't laugh but she can pray that they'll understand.

Her mind inevitably drifts back towards the Agrestes. Their absence here is a relief. Even their absence is troubling. Whilst she knows better than to expect the two of them to turn up. They had been warned about the potential consequences should they return or otherwise made any other attempt to involve themselves. They would make the justice system seem mild… All the same, Nathalie finds herself wondering if she'll ever be able to relax once more knowing that they're out there, somewhere, potentially plotting something. A part of her hopes that this will be enough to make them finally learn the lesson. The doctor's words come back to her "He was lucky"… Yes, he was. He could easily have died.

She doesn't want to think about all of that right now. Instead, she distracts herself with another sip of coffee. The Agrestes are something which they will have to deal with. She has neither doubts nor illusions as far as they're concerned but they will need Adrien. Right now he can't even talk in anything other than strange and contorted gasps which are impossible to make out, let alone move or discuss matters in any detail with his parents. They will have to be patient and pray that they keep their side of the bargain rather than deciding to 'help' once more.

"He'll be alright..." The woman speaks quietly, muttering more to herself than anyone else. "We'll all be."

It isn't quite hope which Nathalie feels. It's something different but at the very least, some of the weight is lifted from her chest as she sits out there in the warm morning sun.


	44. Resolution

**_Author's note: Thanks once more for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

"I've got to see them."

Adrien's voice is raspy. It sounds horrible. Something of a gasp and a choke. It is however, possible to make out just what he's saying. Nathalie considers him in silence. He's sitting in his wheelchair, in the moonlight. He really should be in bed at this hour but he's no longer at the stage where the nurses feel the need to check on him quite so frequently and is free from the various machines which he's spent so long plugged into.

She considers the young man for a few moments, half-asleep. He's still weak but regaining his strength. There's a lot to be done yet. If nothing else, he can't even stand, his hip won't allow it. There is though, tonight, a fire behind his green eyes. He's asking her because he doesn't have the power to make it happen himself. He's utterly dependent on her. She could easily deny him. It is something that she considers, aware of his current frailty. Even ignoring his physical state, there's the emotional implications about such a trip. She's tempted to say that another few days are required. It's never easy to be patient but sometimes it's what's best. Given his injuries, she's not too sure that she wants adding shock into the mix. In her mind, there's a terrible image of him suffering some manner of heart attack. On the other hand, she can tell that he's back with her. For the first time in a while, there are no drugs being pumped through his system numbing his body and clouding his judgment.

He must sense her unease with the situation, her hesitation as he looks up to face her with wet eyes. She contemplates looking away, aware that if she meets those big green orbs of his that she won't be able to think clearly and decide if he's ready or not. She'll put up with him being stroppy for a while if it means that it's better for him in the long run. He's had nothing better to do trapped in that bed of his than run over what's happened again and again. It's impossible, even for Nathalie, to know exactly what's going on inside of his head. Yet another reason to worry. She's known him to lose control, lash out. In this current state, he could easily end up damaging himself more than anyone else.

"Please… _Man_." He pleas frantically but his voice unable to creep past a whisper.

"Okay."

She yields, aware that she could easily end up regretting this.

A text is sent. She gets a reply a few seconds later, confirmation that everything will be ready in a quarter of an hour or so. That means that they have to wait a little bit. Adrien seems calmer but still somewhat resigned as he sits there. She's unsure whether or not its safe to reach out to him. Sitting in the chair near to his bed, she finds herself wishing that she could work out just what was going on inside of that head of his. If for no other reason that to brace herself for what's to come. Ultimately, she chose to adopt a simpler option:

"What's on your mind?"

"I wish I could stand." He makes an odd noise which she knows equates to something of a laugh, this one is dry and humorless however. "Look my father in the eye… Instead of sitting here like some cripple."

"Then put it off-"

"No… I've got to do this." He turns round to look at her. "Besides, I think they need to see, for once."

She nods understanding. His father hadn't seen what had happened to him. The silent suffering inside that he had endured for years. This is… Rather more visual. 

He looks weak and its clear that he's been suffering. Perhaps this is the slap in the face that they need. Although, the former assistant reminds herself, Emilie was there just after the accident. She saw the young man at his rawest state. Perhaps he'd even been conscious for a while… She would have, presumably, assumed that he was going to die, just as Nathalie had. Knowing that she'd proceeded to abandon her child, even if her intentions had been to somehow bring him back, didn't exactly inspire the woman with confidence that there was anything in the couple to be salvaged. The only thing that she could say is that they had surrendered the Cat Miraculous, not that they'd been presented a lot of choice.

She gets a text eventually which gives her the signal. It's with a nervous glance around that Nathalie transforms. The horse miraculous is practical allowing to travel impossible distances in the mere blink of the eye. For all that, she realizes that it's not something that she can afford to be careless with. If someone were to see a kwami here accompanied by a hero… Well, she doesn't even want to think of the potential repercussions. Thankfully, the cost is all clear. They wouldn't be gone long she reasons and she can always claim that Adrien wanted to go outside.

"You ready?"

She only gets a nod as a response. Maybe he's saving his strength for what's to come or it could have been spent already. She can't tell. There's no time to question it. She opens a portal and pushes the wheelchair on through.

They emerge in the lounge of the Agreste mansion and they aren't alone. There's the always kind but still concerned face of Marinette or in this case, Ladybug. More than that though, sitting on the couch are a – somewhat sleepy looking – couple. Thankfully, the sight of their only son. Unable to stand and clearly quite literally just out of hospital is enough to wake them up. Their eyes run over him. Curiously, they won't see too much damage. Most of it is hidden under the gown that he wears. The scar at the base of his neck is however plainly visible for the world to see. He's made no attempt to cover it up. Nathalie makes quick work of transforming back and feeding Kaalki. They won't be able to transform and therefore teleport until she's full rested. Right now, the woman is keen to ensure that that remains an option for them.

She takes the opportunity to look towards Adrien. The young man's eyes are uncharacteristically cold. He doesn't need to speak. The hatred and resentment is being channeled towards his parents in an unmistakable fashion. It's both of them who are targeted. Without opening his mouth, he's able to get across a feeling of rage but also pain and betrayal. They are, after all, the people who should have been caring for him.

The silence lasts for a short while. Adrien is breathing oddly, leaning back into his chair. Nathalie considers him gravely for a few moments, wondering if they've pushed things too far too soon.

"Are you okay?" Emilie peeps up after a short while.

"No, of course not! I'm in pain..." He manages through gritted teeth before regaining some form of self-control and glaring towards the couple. "I'm in pain because of _you_."

The accusation seems to catch them off-guard. A quick look confirms that they haven't misheard and that he's deadly serious. He takes a few deep breaths, shifting round so as to see them more easily. He's not lying about the pain. Nathalie can see it now and bitterly regrets not waiting just a few days more. She knows that he suffers from ups and downs depending on when he was last administered some painkillers. The last batch were a few hours ago at this point and must gradually be beginning to wear off. Rather than letting it consume him however, the young man uses it. It seems to give him some sense of focus, perhaps even purpose. In the space of a few seconds, it becomes clear that the gloves are off.

He leaves a pause. Is it so that he can recover enough to be able to speak once more or is he offering his parents the opportunity to defend themselves against his accusations. Regardless of his actual intentions, they could have taken advantage of the silence to speak up. They don't. Instead, all they do is stare at him as if he's become a stranger. That only seems to make things worse. His eyes narrow, becoming little more than slits as he growls:

"You left me to die..."

"I left to save you!" This time Emilie reacts vocally. "The Miraculous are the only things which can-"

"I was happy!" He snaps back as best as he could. "-but you couldn't let me be, could you? What were you planning to do? Rewrite history? I-"

He stops suddenly. For a moment, Nathalie assumes that the pain must have got the better of him. Instead, she sees him let out a little sigh. He slumps back into his chair. In the space of a few seconds, the anger has vanished once more. Evidently concerned, Plagg approaches him nervously, settling next to his partner.

Has Adrien planned all of this out? – he's certainly had the time to do so. Lying there, it seems as if he's said everything that he has to. For a few seconds, it looks as if he might even be about to drift off. The fire's vanished, replaced instead with acceptance. He refuses to look at his parents. Instead, he turns towards the ever-patient Ladybug. He doesn't smile but does drift a little closer to him, seemingly reading his mind. He needs them by his side, the ones who care and who can be here. There are others, those who will never know about what he's suffered and will continue to endure. Those he loves are still here for him though.

When he looks back to his parents, he seems tired, defeated. This has been going on for far too long now and he has very little more to give. Be it his strength or his patience, this has taken everything that the young man has from him. At the end of his rope, he mutters:

"You won't come near me again." His voice is firm, leaving no room for debate. "I've given you enough chances, both of you. I don't think I can face any more disappointment. I'm going to live the rest of my life away from you guys. I don't want anything more to do with you..."

Nathalie is expecting some protestations. It's freedom that Adrien plainly desperately needs but one which will undoubtedly lead to some changes in lifestyle. He's almost certainly, she reasons, about to be cut off. Whilst he has been poor before as Dylan, it will come as something of a shock for him to suddenly discover that everything isn't handed to him on a silver platter any longer. Then there will be the inevitable media storm when it gets out in the open that the Agrestes aren't talking any more. In the long run however, she has no doubt that it will be beneficial.

She's run out of hope as far as Gabriel and Emilie are concerned.

The silence that follows is as long as it is surprising. She'd been prepared for an argument. For his parents to remind him of just who they are to him. She can't quite believe that they've lost interest. Despite everything that's happened, she knows that they care at least somewhat for the boy that they raised until the age of thirteen. That in some perverse way, all of this – at least up until the car accident – has been for his benefit in their eyes. True, things may have gotten out of hand but they wanted what they thought what was best for him. A pity that everyone else, including Adrien himself disagrees.

Finally, it's Gabriel that stirs. He looks towards his wife. She nods only once as he discretely moves to take her hand. It's apparent that they have discussed something, although just what Nathalie can't say. She finds herself holding her breath, instinctively fearing the worse.

"Let us help you." The man requests softly. "If you've refused the deal, then-"

"What deal?" He cuts her short.

"I offered - when you were well enough to make the decision- I offered too make a wish using the miraculous. To take your place..." He raises his eyebrows, she can't tell if it's shock or if he just doesn't know what she's referring to. "To transfer the damage, your injuries to me."

Adrien gawks at her with those big green eyes of his. He seems to be genuinely stunned, as if he can't quite process what he's been told. It goes without saying that the offer still stands. She doesn't expect him to accept. In truth, it's a relatively safe bet. She knows the teen well enough to know that he most definitely won't accept.

He says nothing but shifts a little closer to her. Before she knows what's going on, he's got his arms around her waist pulling her in for a hug. She's grown semi-accustomed to his over the years, even although after all of this time it does still catch her off-guard on occasion. This is however, the first time that she can recall such a display of affection taking place in front of others. To Marinette, perhaps it isn't so unexpected or surprising. To his parents, well, she wonders if this might be just another slap in the face… In the moment though, she forgets about all of that. He's been too weak to do much more than hold her hand loosely… She takes come comfort from the gesture, placing her hands on both of his shoulders. After a few moments however, the woman realizes that he isn't quite breathing right, that his body in tenser than it should be.

"You're hurting yourself..." She tells him softly, not that he needs to be informed.

"Don't you ever make that sacrifice." He orders, his voice quiet but none-the-less firm. "Not for me, not for anyone!"

"Okay..." She whispers as a response.

With a little coaxing, she manages to convince him to let her go so that he can breathe a little more easily. She relaxes just a little bit, although is increasingly aware that he needs to get back to the hospital. Another five minutes and she'll teleport him there. He needs his rest.

He turns back to face his parents, his strength leaving him but not entirely his purpose. He grits his teeth, feeling as much courage as he does anger. He doesn't let the latter take hold however. Instead, he summons his strength to turn back towards Gabriel. Things need to be finished here, right now. It's clear to all that he intends to see this through, whatever it means for him or anyone else. Turning towards his child, the father seems to be rather unsettled about everything which is going on before him. Eventually though, he continues with his original statement:

"The doctors said it would take you a long time to heal, that your body would need help." There was a few moments of silence, as they don't bother to deny it. "Let us pay for that. So that you can recover at home..."

"I'm not going back to the mansion." Adrien's voice is firm, angered by the mere suggestion.

"Your father wasn't talking about the mansion."

Emile's attention turns towards Nathalie. She says nothing, neither acknowledging nor denying what they've said. It's something that she's already thought about. Adrien will need a lot of help recovering, mostly because of that hip of his. Whether it's the Cabanon or her flat back in Paris, there's nothing set up to allow him to move around freely. She will almost certainly have to make some special provisions for the young man: handrails, perhaps changing some of the furniture for a little while… All of that costs money. It's something that she feels that she will happily foot herself, besides there will be some coming from the insurance. A little bit of help from the Agrestes however - it would be pocket money for them – could easily see him living a more comfortable life.

It's his decision of course. She knows why he might want to cut ties with them entirely, leave them with the full weight of the consequences of their actions and no way to make amends. On the other hand, it might be easier for all parties involved if they are allowed to make just one single, simple gesture. He seems uncertain, undecided:

"I'm tired." The teen declares leaning back in his chair for a moment. "Let me think about it."

Again, Nathalie is expecting resistance but none comes. They nod. Seemingly understanding. She hopes and prays that all of this has made her jaded and cynical but finds herself feeling rather suspicious. After everything that's happened, she finds herself struggling to accept that any of his parents' intentions could be entirely benign. So she remains cautious, reluctant to drop her guard. She'd done it when they'd moved down south and it had cost them dearly. It's a mistake that she'll only ever make the once.

The silence returns. It's slightly more comfortable this time. Some of what needs to be said has come out. No doubt there will be more but as far as Adrien's concerned, it would seem that he has little else more to give. He lets out a weak groan, leaning backwards as he shifts in an attempt to take some of the pressure off of his left flank. That's enough for one night…

"Come on." She speaks to him gently. "We need to get you back before someone notices we've vanished."

He doesn't actually protest which she recognizes as a sign that it is quite bad. It was too soon to come here but it might still have been the only way out for him. She hopes that he'll find some peace now and be able to rest, to concentrate on recovering other than worrying about just where his parents are or what they're planning. At least they know his position on matters. If the Agrestes show up unannounced, there will be no need to tiptoe round issues as at this point, everyone knows where everyone else stands. In some strange way, that's rather comforting. It makes everything just that little bit clearer and simpler for them all.

She transforms and opens a portal once more. It leads back to the hospital room. No words are exchanged. Marinette stays next to them. She takes the opportunity to give her boyfriend a brief peck on the cheek, a little encouragement to get better. Adrien smiles but otherwise doesn't respond, too spent to do otherwise. Nathalie turns to young woman, gives her a grateful nod before pushing the wheelchair back through.

A second later, they're back in the hospital. The smell of antiseptic and cleaning products hits them brutally, stinging at their nose and eyes. It's something which both have become accustom to over the course of the past few days to the extent where it no longer bothers them. To suddenly find themselves reemerged in the atmosphere is as startling as it is unpleasant. Nathalie wheels him over so that he's next to his bed. The teen is panting a little, prompting her to kneel down next to him. Plagg hovers next to his face, casting a concerned look towards his partner. The woman kneels down in front of him. He nods a few times, trying to let her know that it's okay.

"I wish you would listen and take your time..." She scolds him quietly.

"It had to be done..." He wheezes, dropping his guard now entirely. "Do you think they'll listen?"

"I hope so..." She mutters, a little too preoccupied with his current state to worry about such things. "Look, I'm going to get a nurse, okay? You stop exerting yourself!"

"I will..." He promises leaning his head back. "It's over now… I can concentrate on getting better, without worrying about them walking through the door."

She nods a few times. It's one of those odd cases where she doesn't particularly care what Adrien thinks or makes of it as she finds herself rather more keen to ensure that he isn't suffering from some sort of relapse or secondary complication the doctors had cautioned her about. In truth, the woman is fairly confident that he's just pushed himself too far and too soon. All the same, she'll go and find someone, better safe than sorry.

As she makes to leave for the exit however something takes her by the wrist. She turns round to see Adrien. He's not strong enough to actually stop her from leaving but he can get her attention. She turns around to see him, initially fearing the worst. Instead, she finds herself greeted with a gentle little smile. Nathalie frowns, not too sure what he wants and momentarily fearing the worst. It takes her a few moments to realize just what he wants. In practice, it's very little. He just wants to say something, to say it without words: thank you. She returns the gesture, squeezing his hand before leaving. He'll be alright. They both will.


	45. Sur le coeur

There's a loud crash from the living room. Nathalie dashes in from the kitchen to find herself faced with Adrien lying face down on the ground, struggling to pick himself up.

It isn't the first time that he's fallen. She's grown somewhat accustomed to having to help him up. There's a reason why they'd moved the coffee table back from the spot where he parks his wheelchair and that he spends so much time in. He's very much trying to find his feet. He's clumsy and fragile, a bad mix. This time, he has hurt himself. She can see that quite easily. He struggles to lift himself up off of the floor but can't quite manage to do so. He falls back down a second later, breathing deeply.

The woman is quick to rush to his side, she doesn't make any attempts to pick him up however, more concerned about whether or not he's hurt himself more severely. Seeing her seems to give him something of a second wind as he makes an obvious effort to right himself. He manages to get to his knees with a little bit of assistance. Nathalie leaves him there however, keen to ensure that he hasn't worsened some of the damage done to him. The teen smiles in what's obviously intended to be a reassuring gesture. In actual fact, whenever he looks at her like that, it had the opposite of the desired effect. She finds herself looking a little more keenly, convinced that something somewhere must be wrong and that he's trying to conceal it from her. Eventually, she helps him back into his chair. He sits there, still offering her the occasional reassuring smile.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" His voice grows stronger and firmer with every day although still has a slight huskiness to it, something she's not entirely sure he'll ever lose. "I overreached, that's all."

"It doesn't matter how it happened." She reminds him, frustrated at him dodging the question. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No…" He lets out a sigh a moment later. "I mostly caught myself, it was my shoulder I hit."

He pulls down the neck of his tee-shirt just so that she can see for herself. Sure enough, it's red. No doubt he'll have a bruise tomorrow. She'll trust him for the time being but keep an eye on him to ensure that he isn't attempting to hide any more of his suffering from them.

She stays with him for a few moments. It had come as quite a shock the first few times he'd fallen. He's proud, despite everything and to suddenly find himself so vulnerable and fragile, more often that not requiring assistance for even some of the more mundane tasks that he finds himself faced with on a daily basis. It isn't easy for him to find himself so helpless. Plagg's there of course and there's always someone around to help should he need it but surrendering that responsibility to another is difficult for him. She can see that. Her presence is required only for a few moments for some comfort and reassurance which needs no words to be spoken, after that, she leaves him be, assuming that all will be well. There are other matters which need tending to after all, namely their dinner.

Still, for whatever reason, that day, the image of him on the floor lingers in her mind longer than it usually would.

She heads back outside about half-an-hour later, carrying with her a bowl of that night's stew. Adrien's already out there, having wheeled himself down the ramp and had joined her grandmother outside. They were chatting amicably whilst Macaroon and the old shepherd dog played in the evening sun. Finally the temperature was a little more easily bearable out here. She serves the meal whilst the teen begins downing the first of a long list of pills. At least his appetite is decent. He eats calmly, informing them about what Marintte's been up to and said today.

Nathalie remains quiet, pensive. There's curiously a lot on her mind tonight even thought there really shouldn't be. For whatever reason everything just seemed to be a little bit more real. She has a somewhat more acute sense of her reality and that of the young man whom she's been caring for. The woman still manages to force a smile and there's even the occasional laugh that makes it out of her mouth but otherwise she finds herself not to be in the mood. Perhaps she is missing Jacques, although the man is sure to call frequently asking after both her and Adrien. As such, the notion is relatively quickly dismissed. She feels tired but at the same time, the prospect of returning to her bed is an unappealing one.

At this point, Adrien finds that he can more or less get himself into bed and tend to his own needs in that respect. If his broken hip and the lingering effects of flail chest continue to cause him some difficulty in moving about and he certainly wouldn't like to try walking all that far right now, he is however capable of standing and moving around, in short, he's less helpless and dependent on others. If nothing else, he reasons, all of this will have improved his upper-body strength, albeit at the expense of his legs. He's already anticipating a shock as far as they're concerned.

Every night, Nathalie comes in, just to ensure that he's made it as far as his bed and doesn't need anything. He almost never does but the few minutes of sedate company are welcome. Just a little bit of comfort, a reminder that he isn't alone and that there's someone here seeing him through all of this.

He sleeps in the room with Plagg and Macaroon. The former contributes to ensuring that he's in a familiar environment if only through the lingering stench of Camembert and goat's cheese. The latter, well, he's always at the foot of the bed snoring loudly. The door is kept open, ensuring that should he need to shout for something, he will be heard. That and he keeps his phone next to the bed, ready to dial for assistance should he require it. Thankfully, to this day, he never has. He finds himself made tired by his current condition and no doubt the multitude of drugs they have him on to guard against secondary infections and ensure that he recovers. As such, he generally sleeps through the night only being awoken by the first rays on the sun come morning.

Not tonight however.

Adrien finds himself awoken around one in the morning. The moon is out and bright, shining in through the slits in the shutters. Initially, he assumes that's what's disturbed him. Some part of his body has mistaken it for morning. Perhaps he would have been more willing to dismiss matters if it weren't for the feeling of a slight draft. It was hardly unpleasant, not in the heat of the hills of Provence. In fact it's precisely because he ends up edging closer to the air current that he realizes that the door is open more than it usually is. Macaroon isn't in here with him either…

Outside, the air is a good deal cooler and lighter. The only slight issue are the mosquitoes but those are kept at bay mostly thanks to some strongly scented candles. For all that it's late or early, it most certainly isn't quiet. The air is alive with the sound of insects, frogs, bats and owls. All making their home in the rather more bearable night.

Nathalie Sancoeur sits out there in the moonlight. She's leaning back in the old rocking chair, face turned towards the pale moonlight. Initially, it would be possible to mistake her for sleeping. Upon closer examination however, someone would realize that she was very much awake. Sedate, certainly but not asleep. It's a strange spectacle for those who know her. They wouldn't necessarily equate the sensible woman with being the sort to be out this late, seemingly contemplating the stars above. Another sign that so something isn't quite right: Macaroon has got his big head resting on her thigh, presumably drooling, and she isn't protesting.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

She asks the question to the young man who is now in the doorway. The words are spoken gently, there isn't a reprimand behind them. Adrien takes her lack of anger as an invitation and rolls himself outside, joining the woman a moment later. The teen eyes her nervously, trying to work out what's going on. She strikes him as being exhausted but otherwise pretty clear headed. She seems to be relaxed. As such, he opts to start a relatively innocuous discussion which will allow him to test the waters:

"What do you say? I'm hoping to be able to walk before summer ends."

"The season or just the vacation?" She asks him quietly.

"I think the season's probably more realistic." Adrien responds with a shrug of the shoulders.

"You go for it. If anyone can do it Adrien, it's you."

There's a tenderness to her voice, an affection that causes him to smile. He wishes that his father had spoken to him and looked at him in the same way that Nathalie does. She sees him, understands him… So when she looks at him, he looks at her and if she's learned to see past his own barriers and to sense when something isn't quite right. He can do the same. She's a tricky person to read and it's taken him years to see past the myriad of walls and defenses that she raises around her to protect herself from a world which, at some point, he knows must have hurt her badly for her to be the way that she is.

Sitting there, tonight though he sees Nathalie Sancoeur. He loves the woman and knows that something is wrong.

He just doesn't know how to approach the issue. It's rare for the woman to lose her temper with him but not entirely unknown. Unsure how sensitive she is right now, his first inclination is to tiptoe. He tries to guess what could be troubling her. They're safe here or so it feels. He knows that he's vulnerable but Nathalie has a miraculous of her own to help protect them as says the pair of glasses she now wears and the sleeping kwami on the table. Maybe its him… He sees the worry and pain every time that he falls and finds himself with another bruise or when he feels so darn tired that he can't even bring himself to answer them. He knows that he's hurting her and hates himself for it.

The teen lets out an uncertain sigh. He wants to reach out to take the hand that he'd spent so much time holding in the hospital but holds off. For the first time, he finds himself wondering if perhaps he should adopt a slightly more direct approach. It's not always been a successful one. If Nathalie doesn't particularly want to address an issue, she doesn't. She's more delicate about it now than she once was but all the same, he's uneasy.

"_Man_… Something's wrong." He phrases it as a statement, not a question.

She doesn't deny it. Instead, she lets out a little sigh. She seems defeated as she sits there. Silence settles in between them once more. He wonders and perhaps assumes that this is just her way of letting him know that she'd rather not talk about it. For a moment, he considers letting things be. She has Macaroon, he reasons that the dog must have sensed that she needed some form of companionship and come out here for her, he's good like that. Perhaps it would be best to leave the woman in peace, she can have her melancholic episodes from time to time but tends to get over them.

"There's a question you've always asked me but I've never once answered." She pauses for a moment, a nostalgic smile on her lips.

"Why-" His mouth was a little dry, forcing him to pause. "Why did you risk so much for me?"

How many times had he asked that question? He's lost count over the years. First of all, it had been Dylan to question Delphine, unsure why the woman who had always been so distant had suddenly taken to caring for him enough to risk her life. The mystery had deepened when he'd learned that she was Mayura and therefore only too aware of just who his father was. Still, she'd remained silent. When she'd become "_Man_", her refusal to answer had been gentler and he'd been less insistent. It still crosses his mind from time to time but he no longer feels the need to articulate it.

Now, for the first time, it seems as if that tradition is about to be broken. He'll get his answers:

"I was so ashamed Adrien, of what I'd done..." She lets out under her breath, turning back towards the stars. "I knew you were suffering but I just turned a blind eye to it. Then… Your father he discovered who you were..."

She shakes her head. This isn't helping him all that much. What it is, is avoiding the main issue. That's something that she's been doing for too long now. A part of her wonders what it even matters at this point. It was all so long ago and the feelings have long since dissipated. A part of her just wants to spit it all out and be done with it. Shame however causes her to look away. She can't bear to see the young man that she's watched grow up and care for these past few years in his current state, feeling that some of it could have been prevented. Already, she could imagine the young man's shock and betrayal if the truth was ever to come to light.

Now, the weight of the secret is proving to be a bit too much. Maybe it's the few classes of wine she's consumed, the beauty of the night or the way that Adrien Agreste looks at her but it just slips out of her mouth: 

"I loved your father..." She whispers under her breath.

The words have the effect of a bomb being dropped. She sees the color draining from Adrien's faces. His features become slack. The shock was such that his jaw hung open. Perhaps there were a few things that he would have wanted to say, assurances that whatever she had to tell him couldn't be all that terrible. That all meant nothing when he heard the truth. The ugly and selfish reality of just what had been motivating her for some months whilst she was under the guise of Mayura. She wouldn't tell him anything else, not how it had seemed justified and even noble at the time. Right now, all she knows is that at some point, her actions are in part to blame for what's befallen the two of them.

"Wh-what?" Adrien manages eventually.

"Your father… The reason I worked for him, I loved him."

She is expecting anger. Even in his current state, she knows that he can get emotional. Ironically, the accident seems to have dulled some of the other things which had been troubling him previously but resentment isn't one of them. He truly does hate his parents.

The woman wonders why she's telling him all this when he's fragile. A part of her reasons that he always has been on the sensitive side of things and that ultimately it wouldn't matter when she told him. She would probably have been better off waiting until he was less dependent on her. As it stands, he still needs her help for a good many parts of his day-to-day life, turning his back on that may prove to be challenging. Maybe it's just her being selfish again. Trying to ensure that he can't run away and leave her even after she's shown her true self to him.

"Do you still love him?" Adrien asks her in a hushed voice, barely anything above a whisper.

"No… That particular spell wore off a long time ago."

She lets out a sigh and leaves it at that. She's told him what she should have said from the very beginning and most certainly shouldn't have brought up at a time such as this. She lets him chew things over, aware that it's too late to do anything about it quite yet.

Nathalie Sancoeur knows that she's done a lot wrong in her life. She defies anyone to make it through their existence without making at least a couple of blunders. She seemed to have been especially prone to horrendous errors of judgment that have seen others, and on occasion herself pay the price. If only she could have been the sole person to suffer for it. She closes her eyes and tries to find some of the rest which seems to be eluding her tonight. She wishes that she could escape, more than that, she wants to take back all of the suffering that's happened because of her mistakes and inability to do what was right and ignore those troublesome feelings.

She doesn't know what all of this will mean for them. She wants to be forgiven, of course she does but a part of her thinks that to be selfish. She almost wishes that for once, Adrien would be hard-nosed and finally decide that enough is enough. She wouldn't blame him for it. So many people have hurt him and betrayed him in the past. Still, somehow, Nathalie finds herself breathing a little bit easier. It's the last great secret that she's kept from him which has just been spilled. At the very least, she isn't a liar.

"_Man..._" Adrien begins softly, stirring her from her thoughts. "I don't think I can quite get up yet but do you think you could give me a hug?"

She turns back to face him, having to do something of a double-take to ensure that she hasn't misheard or misunderstood something that he's said. He offers her a little smile. It doesn't say much but what it does speak of is forgiveness. There's a tenderness behind his gaze, an affection which she knows well. She's unsettled him but ultimately, that doesn't matter to him.

The woman gets up in silence. She approaches the young man, crouches down in front of his wheelchair and very carefully slips her arms around him. She'd been given some instructions about how best to approach him. What areas were safe enough to touch and those which were sensitive. He'd broken his ribs badly, to the extent that they had actually come away from his body: flail chest, as unpleasant an ailment as it was potentially dangerous. Whilst it's healing up now, the area remains horribly painful and requires the occasional consumption of painkillers to keep it in check. That's on her mind but not as much as it could have been as she gives him a hug. They've held off so far simply because of the fact that he's been injured… Now she's more willing to take a chance.

Adrien's grip is loose but none-the-less gives off a real feeling of affection. He isn't angry, nor is he quite as emotional as she had feared that he would be. If anything, he seems to be rather accepting. The woman neither understands nor questions it, accepting things for what they are. She closes her eyes, content to be reminded of what she has. She doesn't know if she's forgiven or if it's not the sort of thing that he would ever have held against her in the first place. It suddenly doesn't seem all that important.

In the scheme of things, it was quite a brief hug. Perhaps some of that is because, despite his best intentions, he is still injured. He gives her a gentle smile. They'll be alright. She realizes that much. Curiously however, she finds herself thinking about a discussion she'd had with Marinette some time ago, then finds herself back in that darned hospital room. There's three words on the tip of her tongue. They've always been there – at least for the past few years – but not once has she dared to utter them. Something else suddenly crosses her mind.

"Give me five seconds."

He seems confused but doesn't attempt to stop the woman as she returns back inside. Sure enough, she isn't gone all that long, coming back a moment later with a familiar old cardboard box. He recognizes it instantly. Even in the darkness of the night, she can see his face light up suddenly. She hands it to him all the same, there's less ceremony this time. All the same, as he opens up the packaging to find himself faced with a familiar watch. The dial and glass has been fixed. He wastes no time in putting it back on his wrist.

The teen looks back up to her, an expression of warmth and affection present on his face speaks volumes. Perhaps he had assumed it to be broken beyond repair. As soon as he'd been well enough to leave the hospital, Nathalie had taken it to a jewelers. It had arrived back a few days ago but she's been waiting for the right moment to return it.

Now that leaves the woman with one last thing which needs to be done. Just a few syllables. They should have been spoken long ago but fear and shame of her past actions have prevented her from uttering them. She takes a deep, if slightly shaky breath. She thought that she would need courage, what she'd told Adrien about her feelings still holds true today, even where he's concerned. They don't come to her easily and even when they do, she often struggles with articulating them. Even when its three little words. Three little words with a very big meaning.

"I love you..."

The next thing she knows Adrien's thrown his arms around her neck. Startled the woman has just enough time to brace herself. He's heavy against her and she knows that he just hurt his hip. His joy however drowns all of that out. Somehow, she's able to guide both of them down so that they're on their knees and that there's less far for them to fall. If he's suffering from the position, he doesn't let it show, refusing to let go of her.

The woman assumes that he's alright. She closes her eyes and forgets about her surroundings just for a few moments. Nathalie rubs his back gently, it's one of the few places that he's not been all that badly hurt. All the same, she's careful. It takes her a few moments to register a slight shuddering as he breathes. It's not something that's entirely unfamiliar to her. All the same, she finds herself smiling slightly, it isn't enjoyment or amusement so much as sympathy which causes the action:

"Are you crying again?"

"Maybe just a little..."

This isn't just her declaration. There's far more going on here. She can sense that. No doubt everything's just catching up with him. Up until this point, Nathalie has been impressed by how well Adrien's kept himself together emotionally. She'd been warned by the doctors - doctors who only knew half of the story, that there was every chance that he was going to have some rough patches and that she should keep an eye on him for that very reason. Whilst he hasn't been entirely capable of concealing the entirety of the pain, for the most part he's taken this far better than she could ever have hoped. Now though, the past few weeks, maybe even years, appear to finally have come home to roost.

She's just the catalyst. She's good at being that.

It doesn't quite matter how long he cries for. She's there for him throughout. Some of it's pain and some if it's relief. A lot of it just blends together. Nathalie can only do so much. Plagg is nearby. The kwami provides comfort simply through proximity. He's been with Adrien through much of this: a constant companion. As carefree and lazy as he might seem at time, she knows that the strange creature does love the boy he's been partnered with.

Eventually, he feels well enough to stand or rather to get back into his wheelchair. There's no longer the desperate urge to cling onto her. She's forced to help him. It's not easy for her to bear his weight and help him to stand so that he can slip back into the seat. Plagg and Kaalki's attempts to help him, tugging at his shirt are as feeble as they are amusing. Somehow though, they manage. Truth be told, he's stronger than she'd been expecting and is able to bear his weight on his good leg just long enough to allow them to settle him back down. Still, it proves to be something of an effort and leaves her needing to take a breather for a few seconds afterwards.

"Are you going back in?" The young man asks her after a while.

"No…" She sits back down in her chair, taking a deep breath. "I think I might spend just a little bit longer out here."

"I think I might join you."

Nathalie smiles softly before raising her head once more to see the stars above. She'll take the company.


	46. Name

**_Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!_**

**_/_**

Nathalie keeps the window to her parisien flat open. She continues to look at her watch. She's not worried yet but she is growing nervous. They certainly like to cut things close. She'd be frustrated if worry didn't take precedent. They know what they're doing, she tells herself. They've done this a hundred times before. Not recently though… It would be easy for her to give into panic, especially now that she doesn't have a miraculous of her own to rush out to assist them if they need some help. She'll just have to trust them.

It's not the first time that she's repeated that much to herself but it's the only comfort that she has along with the knowledge that neither of them are fools.

The woman forces herself to concentrate on the papers that she has. There aren't that many copies but an astonishing amount of mistakes. She realizes that she's along way away from dealing with Adrien Agreste's private tutoring. Some of the mistakes are almost amusing, others irritating and the occasional one is downright scary. Still she continues, going over things with a red pen. At least she's more than half-way done. It's somewhat motivating. Macaroon whines nearby. Presumably he'll be wanting a walk soon. She looks over towards him, wondering if it might do her mind some good to take the dog for a walk.

She actually gets up when she suddenly realizes that the mutt is looking out of the window. A second later, she finds herself with two visitor. The heroic duo seem fine. Cat Noir greets her with a beaming, if slightly goofy smile and she knows that everything must have gone alright.

The teen stretches, readying himself. It's Ladybug who heads over towards the couch. Against it, she picks up a walking stick which had been left there. Cat Noir seems to be surprisingly blase about the whole thing. She's not sure if that's just because he's trying to comfort them by pretending that it isn't that big a deal or if he simply hasn't realized what's going on. The superhero smiles as his companion transformers becoming Marinette once more. Adrien is quick to follow up right afterwards with his signature cry – well, a softly spoken so as to avoid startling Nathalie's neighbors - "Claws in".

It's almost as if he was punched in the stomach. He gasps, stumbling forwards. He manages to brace himself against the nearby armchair. It's his leg which he struggled to avoid putting any pressure and weight off on it. His girlfriend is quick to come over to his side, preventing him with his cane. He mutters a "thank you" taking it in order to help with his balance. Marinette doesn't quite step back however, glancing towards him nervously. Again, he offers them a toothy smile in an attempt to conceal his pain. An attempt to take a step forwards causes him to yelp this time:

"Son of a-!" The young man catches Nathalie's disapproving look out of the corner of his eye and stops himself. "I'm too young to have arthritis!"

Marinette helps him over towards the couch so that he might be able to sit down. In truth, he manages to hobble most of the way by himself. His leg still functions for the most part, it's just stiff. On occasion swollen. They'll give it a few moments before checking if he needs a hot water bottle or potentially some painkillers. Until then, Nathalie reserves the right to adopt the – perhaps seen as unreasonable – stance of "concerned mother-figure". She folds her arms, giving him a stern and disapproving look:

"I told you it was too early."

"It was fine _Man_." Adrien responds calmly stretching out the affected limb. "I just got caught out when I changed back."

"I don't know why it always surprises you. I'm the one who takes the heat as Cat Noir!"

"I know Plagg." The teen smiles sadly as he glances down at his leg. "I'm still trying to get to grips with creaky here."

Nathalie lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head as she does so. He's never going to learn. She's convinced of that much.

Thankfully, it would seem that he was telling the truth. After a few moments, the teen has recovered. He's sitting up at any rate. It allows the woman to relax somewhat. Instead, she offers the two teens some drinks. They accept, thirsty after what's been a tiring morning hunting down some troublemakers for the police. Marinette shows Adrien some of her designs. The slight issue with him living in her flat like this is that there aren't a thousand places for him to be. So she decides to give the pair a few minutes of privacy whilst she goes down to get some bread from the bakery and takes the opportunity to check the mail.

The first is routine. The second less so.

As she uncovers the large and somewhat official looking envelope. It isn't so much the appearance of the letter so much as the names on the return address which cause the woman some concern. Nathalie almost opens it there so that she knows just what it contains before risking bringing it upstairs where Adrien can see. She thinks better of it. They're in this together now, aren't they? She takes a deep breath, trying to soothe her nerves as she makes her way back upstairs.

She finds Adrien resting his head on Marinette's lap. He's napping again. It's something he's taken to since his accident. Whilst it's been a good few months now, he still finds himself tired. It seems to just sneak up on him or maybe it's just the effect of being comfortable and with the young woman that he loves. Nathalie's about to hide the letter, it can wait until he's better suited to dealing with it, when she gets a surprise. He isn't asleep, just resting. Turning his head to see her, the first thing that his eyes lock onto is the envelope. He raises an eyebrow, curious.

"It's from your parents." She explains.

The young man's eyes widen in a flash. Marinette shifts over to one side, allowing him to sit up. He does so slowly but doesn't make an attempt to hide his concern. A single nod gives her permission to go ahead and open it up.

She finds herself faced with quite a handful of documentation. It's all very official looking. Bearing government seals and marks. There's no way that she's going to be able to read through all of these before Adrien goes nuts with worry. So she contents herself with skimming over the details. It doesn't take her all that long to work out just what it is. All the same, she's forced to re-read it again and again to make sure that she isn't misunderstanding it as Nathalie assumes that she must have missed a trick somewhere along the line. Her uncertainty doesn't sit well with the young man. Fractious, he gets to his feet, resting on his cane. Marinette lingers next to him but resists the urge to offer any form of help. Eager to regain some autonomy, her boyfriend doesn't always welcome assistance.

He takes only a few steps towards the woman before abruptly stopping. It's as if his courage suddenly gives out. Instead, he fixes the papers and asks in a quiet voice:

"What is it?" He pauses a moment before continuing. "Looks official, they aren't suing us or something are we?"

"Permission..." It takes her a few seconds to clarify. "-to adopt you."

There's a stunned silence that follows. Both Adrien and Marinette fix her as if she's just spoken in some sort of alien language which defies all comprehension. For a few moments, she wonders if she might actually have to repeat herself so as to be sure that they have well and truly understood. It's the boy's girlfriend who manages to pull herself together the fastest. She leans over and places a gentle kiss on Adrien's cheek. The action is enough to bring him out of his daydream like state and snap him back into reality. He shakes his head, evidently stunned. The slightly younger of the two teens gives him a gentle smile.

"I'll leave you two in peace." She declares sweetly, letting herself out.

Adrien's too stunned even to respond to that.

One glance tells Nathalie that they could potentially have a lengthy debate on their hands. For the first time in a while, he seems nervous around her uncertain. Somewhat lost, the teen heads over towards the couch and allows himself to sit back down. She accompanied him slowly, sitting in the armchair opposite him. She places the papers back down on a coffee table next to her, in the scheme of things, they're not that important. What matters is the implications and ramifications. The details can come later. She gives him a few moments to think things through – and if she's perfectly honest for her to do the same.

A part of her thinks it's a little bit silly. All of this for some nomenclature. He already calls her "Man" a southern affectionate derivative of mother. Surely, moving to "maman" wouldn't be such a leap.

It isn't just that however and Nathalie is aware of that much. So she doesn't push him for a response. Instead the woman gives him the time that he needs to reflect properly upon matters. In actuality, she's aware that it could be something closer to days or maybe even weeks that he needs. Although ironically enough, the fact that he isn't jumping at the opportunity one way or another gives her some hope that he's not being impulsive.

"What would it mean?"

"You'd be part Sancoeur. _This_-" The woman gestures around the room and then to the young man. "-would be official. In the eyes of the law, you would be my son."

Again, it seems to take a few moments to register. Strange though it might seem, it's only a comparatively small number of people who know about their relationship. Even Adrien's friends don't know the entirety of it. Sure, they're aware that the two of them are close but perhaps not the extent of their bond. He makes an effort not to call her "_Man_" in front of them and Nathalie's not typically subject to excessive shows of emotion. Combined together, they give the impression that what they have is far more of a working relationship.

Adoption would mean going public. It's a spotlight that it's quite possible neither of them want. After all… A part of Nathalie tells herself. Does it matter? If both of them know already? He's an adult now so it's not even as if it would make things any less of a logistical headache.

It takes the woman a few moments to realize that she's essentially wasting her time wondering like this. She would do far better to wait and see just what Adrien feels like. It could be that adoption is just one step too far. Despite everything, he must sill feel some sort of attachment to his parents and- The woman stops pondering what he might be thinking and just waits, trying to gather her own thoughts together. The wait lasts about a quarter of an hour. She knows that something must be on his mind as the eighteen-year-old keeps on casting her periodic nervous glances. There are some words on the tip of his tongue, he just can't quite seem to pull himself to ask them:

"Would you?"

"Do you want me to?" She turns the question against him, unwilling for this to suddenly become her decision.

"Yes."

"Adrien, nothing would make me more proud than to call you my son."

He says nothing. There are no words which quite suit what he has on his heart right now. A smile says it all.


	47. Epilogue

Something collides roughly with him, causing his eyes to shoot open. He quickly recognizes just what it is and affectionately pushes them away. Giggles echo through his ears. Green eyes creak open to a pair of blue ones starring at him.

He's still not entirely awake but his brain is processing enough for him to know what exactly he's dealing with. Next to him, he hears Plagg groan less content at being so roughly awoken. Adrien however is rather more indulgent. He begins to stretch himself, doing so cautiously so as to check just what sort of state his body is in. It's been quite a while since he'd last found himself sleeping on a couch. The giggling starts back up as apparently he isn't waking up quite fast enough. The next thing that he knows, there's a cushion being slammed into him. He lets out an audible "ouf" suddenly wide awake.

This time, the laughter dies down abruptly. It doesn't take him long to figure out what or rather who must be the cause. Shifting, the young man turns himself over to look up at a nearby woman. He offers her a little smile, hoping to signal that he doesn't mind being woken up in such a manner. It's all in good fun after all. Truth be told, Adrien's still a little bit too sleepy to quite make out whether she took note of his gesture or not. The woman walks round the end of the couch and over to the little one responsible for disturbing him from his sleep:

"You said to wake up him." The child speaks before the woman has a chance.

"Yes. To wake him up gently. Not to beat him with a cushion!"

"It's fine _Man_..." Adrien yawns loudly. "I needed to be up anyhow."

He moves so that he's sitting on the edge of the couch. The girl smiles, realizing that she's out of the dog's house. Adrien can't bring himself to be upset with her even on the worst of days, so today? It's out of the question for him to have even the slightest bit of resentment within him. She gives him a hug. At her age, she struggles to wrap her arms around him, in fact, she can't even do that. It gets the message across though. A few moments later, he finds himself confronted with an overexcited dog. A few brief protestations later, some laughs and he's able to gently bat the dog away.

The young man gets to his feet. He hobbles somewhat, forcing himself to limp as he makes it over to the coffee table where he'd decided that it would be a good idea to discard his cane.

"It it bad?" The woman asks him after witnessing the spectacle.

"Not really…" He shakes his head reassuringly. "It's always cranky first thing in the morning. A nice warm shower and I'll be fine."

"How can a leg be cranky?" The child questions an equal mixture of curious and confused.

"Old war wound-" The young man responds with a slightly teasing smile. "-and it's my hip."

"Which is why you don't throw yourself into your brother."

The girl smiles a little bit sheepishly as both settle down for breakfast. Adrien wonders how long Nathalie has been up. He can sleep quite deeply. The fact that they're sitting round the breakfast table, the woman serves them some orange juice. It was about five minutes before a man, already dressed comes in with a bag full of viennoiseries. He greets them with a smile and to the woman, he gives a peck on the cheek. The meal is simple and relatively relaxed given the day that they have ahead of them.

"Are you nervous?" Jacques asks him after a short while.

"A little..." Adrien mutters rubbing the rim of the glass.

"Well it is a big day." Nathalie reminds him with a gentle smile.

"The biggest?" The girl pipes up curiously.

"One of them." The young man answers her kindly.

Truth be told, his heart is beating a little bit faster than it usually does. The doctors have told him to watch out for that sort of thing. He isn't worried though. He knows just why there's a fluttering. Why he's nervous. Ironically it causes him to smile a little bit.

It's probably a good thing that Nathalie's there to hurry him on his way and ensure that everything is running smoothly. He feels little bit guilty. This must be putting quite the strain on her. As if managing herself today wasn't enough. She's also got her husband, young daughter and adopted son to ensure are all ready and correct. Thankfully, the woman is a warrior. Years of working for Gabriel Agreste have made her somewhat unsinkable when it comes to this sort of thing. She manages to direct the whole little group. Ensuring that everyone is washed and dressed appropriately. She seems to take it in her stride, never letting any panic take hold.

With the short supply of bedrooms, Adrien finds himself getting ready in the bathroom. At one time, he'd been very used to putting on outfits and suits. These days, more often than not, he wears what's comfortable, not what his father's company is pushing forwards as the latest trend. It comes back to him for the most part. As he looks at himself in the mirror, he finds himself incapable of stopping himself from fidgeting, playing with his hair.

"Are you ready?" Nathalie comes in, her voice soft.

"Yeah..."

He turns around and looks to her like a child to their mother, looking for a mixture of reassurance and confirmation that he was doing something right. He wants to appear calm and in control, more dignified. Instead, he feels uncertain, nervous. All of that is drawn out, causing him to want to seek comfort and some reassurance from her. She seems to sense that he's uncertain, insecure and offers him a kind and encouraging smile. She steps forwards slowly, taking the time to help his fix one of his cuffs. The woman doesn't speak. She doesn't need to. Her mere presence is enough to comfort him. He's able to breathe once more.

"You'll do fine." The woman tells him quietly.

Adrien smiles but finds that he wants, needs something a little more. He gets his hug. It no longer feels quite so strange as it once had done although perhaps it is still reserved for special occasions. Nathalie returns the gesture, giving him a pat on the back as she does so. It's enough to give him the courage and reassurance that he needs: he won't mess this up. Everything is going to be fine.

They're ready to leave a moment later.

It's a beautiful summer's day. Warm but hopefully in early June it won't be excessively hot. This suit is unlikely to be all that friendly as far as scorching temperatures are concerned. Adrien's attention rests outside as they drive along whilst Nathalie attempts to answer all of her daughter's seemingly never-ending questions. They have a driver. There is one man who couldn't be dissuaded from accepting the task or at least that's what he's been told, the young man had yet to actually hear Gorilla articulate more than the occasional grunt.

The limo pulls up as close to an old church as it can get. The group exit the vehicle as quickly as possible. Already there are some familiar and friendly faces gathered up front before them. Nathalie and her family give him a little nod, encouraging him to go and say 'hi'. They can handle themselves for a while. It's not as if anyone's going anywhere. Not today…

Adrien approaches his old friends. Nino, Alya, Alix, Ivan, Kim… They've all made it. Even Chloe has been given an invitation. He receives warm greetings and a couple of hugs. There's a certain excitement in the air. One which he can't help but get caught up in. They're curious as to just where he was. He explains and informs them just why he'd chosen to stay over at the Sancoeurs as opposed to doing something perhaps a little bit more conventional. He does have an apartment after all. The response he gets to his reasoning is a certain amount of incredulity. Perhaps they hadn't taken him for the superstitious type:

"You're taking the whole "don't see the bride" to another level!"

The young man shrugs but doesn't deny it. If it brings them luck. It brings them luck. Besides, it means that it will be more of a surprise when he sees his bride for the first time… He's looking forwards to that.

They give him something of a warning. It's just a few words. They let him know that there's a couple already inside waiting for him. Adrien holds his breath but makes a decision in those few moments. He's going to face this sooner rather than later. Instead, he excuses himself and heads inside of the old building. There are a few individuals gathered already inside. Some are guests, others staff hired to ensure that everything runs smoothly. With a number of rich and famous people in attendance, it's imperative to have some decent security. Jagged Stone gives him a wave which he returns. His attention is elsewhere however.

The couple whom he approaches eye him uncertainly. There's a hint of nervousness as they consider him. Perhaps they think that he's about to chuck him out. They don't need to worry about that much. He's going to keep this civil but simple. There's no smile on the young man's face as he stands there but neither is he overtly hostile. The silence hangs heavily over the top of them. He's not inclined to drag it out any longer than it has to:

"Thanks for coming."

"It's your wedding..." The woman replies carefully.

"All the same."

He leaves it at that. He's acknowledged their presence. That will be enough he hopes.

There are other things on his mind. People begin to enter more quickly now. The ceremony will be starting shortly. Adrien knows where he's supposed to stand, this isn't his first wedding after all. Although it does take some effort to stop himself from trying to sit down with the other guests. Everyone has a designated place but his is one of the more important. Waiting there, strangely enough he feels the last of his nerves begin to die away, replaced instead with a sense of excitement and joy.

Adrien's gaze falls upon the woman in front row who's seen him through so much of this. His eyes soften as they rest on her. She offers him a gentle smile whilst her daughter gives him a wave. They had their fresh start a while ago. Today, he embarks on what will be the beginning of a new part of his own. Friends, family, blood and otherwise are gathered here together. In his pocket, he can feel the presence of his old partner. Plagg may be hiding but he's still there. A deep breath. He can't keep the grin from his face, he keeps it in control to avoid appearing like a fool.

A few minutes later, the door opens and a beautiful woman in a white dress appears, walking towards him.

Yes. He's very much looking forwards to the future.

**_/_**

**_Author's note: A big thanks to all of those who have reviewed this fic. I certainly had fun writing it!_**


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